CSI Seattle WA
by Michaelmas54
Summary: A chance discovery in the forest near Forks starts a series of events that could prove cataclysmic for the world, not just for the people involved. A story of love, passion, murder and mystery and rated M mainly for the passionate (lemony) bits. A Twilight/CSI story that will hopefully keep you on the edge of your sofa! Recommended on Rob Attack, TLS & ADF. Now Complete.
1. CSI Seattle 1

******Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Twilight, it all belongs to Stephenie Meyer - bless her. Also CSI - no copyright infringement intended.**

* * *

**PROLOGUE**

"Emergency – which service do you require?"

"Police"

"What is the emergency Sir?"

"My wife and I have found an arm"

"A human arm?"

"I think so"

"What do you mean – either it's human or it's not"

"It looks human, but it's not bleeding, I mean there's no blood on it"

"Where is the arm located?"

"It's in the forest, just east of Forks, Washington. I've just left my wife with it to walk up a hill to get cell phone reception"

"Can you give me your location Sir"

"Not exactly, my wife and I are hiking and camping, we're a long way from a road. The arm is in the grass on the edge of an open space surrounded by forest"

"That's fine Sir, if you would just keep your cell phone switched on we can work out your position using GPS. We'll have a team out to you as soon as possible. Can I have your name please"

"It's Tom, Tom Bailey"

"OK Tom, just hold on there, we'll be with you shortly, I'm just sending a message down to the local guys in Forks who will probably ask a Crime Scene team from Seattle to take a look. Can you give me a brief description of the arm?"

"Yes, it's white skinned, we think it's a male arm because the hand is quite big, it still has pieces of clothing attached to it but there's something a bit weird about it"

"What's weird about it Sir?

"Well, you probably won't believe me but ...

the arm, well ...

I don't know how to put this but ...

it's still moving!"

* * *

**CHAPTER ONE**

**Ten years earlier - Forks High School Canteen**

"Sorry Mike, but I already have a date for the Prom – you should ask Jessica, she's hoping you'll ask her and I know she's turned down Ben and Tyler already."

"Who's the lucky guy then" Mike asked sounding disappointed. He had presumed he was onto a sure thing with Bella this time as he was considered to be the 'hottest' jock in the school by most of the female students. He wasn't used to being turned down and even though Bella had consistently refused his invitations since she had arrived at the school eighteen months ago, he had been confident she would capitulate this time as it was the Senior Prom and it was practically mandatory to have a date for the social event of the year.

As far as he knew, Bella hadn't had a boyfriend since arriving in Forks from Phoenix to live with her father, preferring to hang out with Angela and Jessica after school. "Maybe she's gay" he thought, which seemed to him to be the only logical explanation why she hadn't succumbed to his charms. He couldn't compute the fact that she actually might not find him attractive.

"Ah, that would be telling" Bella replied with a furtive wink. She didn't dislike Mike, but she was determined not to become another notch on his bedpost. Anyway, she had never had any inclination to attend any of the school's social events before and she couldn't understand why it was considered so important to have a date for the up-coming Senior Prom.

Normally she chose to stay at home with her books or researching on the computer; that was her idea of heaven, not jumping up and down to annoying music that sounded all the same to her. But against her better judgement she had decided she would go to the Prom this time, partially due to the incessant nagging from Angela and Jessica but also because it would probably be the last time her year group would be together before they all went their separate ways to work or college.

She hadn't actually secured a date yet but she had decided to ask her science partner, Edward Masen, to take her. Edward was a quiet soul; he kept to himself and spoke to others only when necessary. He was a bookworm like her and spent every lunch time in the library reading scientific or medical journals. She guessed that he was heading for medical school as he was fascinated by the workings of the human body, but he excelled in all of the sciences as she did. Mr. Molina had put the two of them together at the beginning of this academic year to be 'subject buddies' as he called them, as they were considered to be at the same level of intellect which meant streets ahead of all of the other students.

Edward was tall and lanky and over six feet tall already. His hair was an unruly mop of dark auburn and his skin was pale and unhealthy. He wore large thick-rimmed tinted glasses that obscured his eyes and the top half of his face plus his eyebrows were bushy and unkempt. He wore the same clothes practically every day; black jeans that were faded through over-washing and completely out of shape with a white t-shirt and checked over-shirt on top. His trainers weren't designer and he drove a beat-up truck that wouldn't have looked out of place on a farm. When he walked his shoulders were hunched up and he was invariably looking at the floor, probably trying to avoid eye-contact with anyone. None of the girls found him remotely attractive but as he didn't attempt to communicate with anyone at school other than when it was absolutely necessary, he was oblivious to the fact that he was the last person any girl with an ounce of self-respect would want to have as a date for the Prom.

Bella on the other hand was considered to be the beauty of the year group and was very popular with both sexes due to her outgoing and friendly nature. She was small in build even though she ate like a horse, with big green eyes and long brown hair that had natural auburn highlights. She was blessed with a radiant skin and a mouth that seemed to be permanently smiling. All the boys in her year group fancied her apart from Tyler, whose measurement of female physical attractiveness was down to bra cup size alone. She had been asked out on numerous occasions but she was not interested in having a boyfriend, preferring to concentrate on her studies so that she could get a place at a college somewhere, anywhere away from Forks, in fact any city where there was culture, diversity and a larger population. That was her ultimate goal.

Mike eventually stood up from the lunch table and wandered off looking dejected while Bella returned to reading her book whilst munching on her pizza. She was interrupted by Jessica who had witnessed Mike walking away from her and she banged her tray down making Bella jump.

"Did Mike ask you to the Prom?"

"Yes he did." Bella couldn't lie – especially to Jessica.

"Great" Jessica said but sarcastically.

"I turned him down Jess, I told him I already had a date"

"Why?"

"Because I know you like him; I like him, but not in that way. I'm sure he'll ask you now"

"So I'm first reserve then"

"I'm sorry Jess, I don't know what to say"

"Oh well, thanks for being honest at least"

"That's okay." Bella felt a bit sorry for her and gave her a hug.

"So, who are you going to the prom with then?" Jessica was dying to know. Bella hadn't bothered going to the Junior Prom so this was a first.

"I'm going to ask someone because I know he won't ask me, but I haven't asked him yet, so I would rather not say until he agrees."

"Any clues?"

"No, just leave it Jess. I'll tell you when I know for certain."

"How do you know he hasn't already got a date?"

"Oh, I'm pretty certain he hasn't – can we just leave it now?"

Jessica huffed and turned her attention to her salad then started wittering on about dresses and shoes. Bella realised that she hadn't actually thought about that side of things but first things first, she had to pluck up courage to ask Edward and then of course convince him to take her.

The bell went for the end of lunch break and Bella picked up her books and headed towards the science lab. It was now or never she had decided, so she took a deep breath and walked into the classroom with a determined look on her face. She was all for women's lib and equality and all that but she never thought she would ever find herself having to ask a boy for a date.

Edward was already in his seat and was bent over the text book as usual with his elbows on the desk and his fingers buried in his hair. The sun was making a rare appearance in Forks today and a ray of light had settled on his head; Bella noticed for the first time what a beautiful colour his hair was and also how soft it looked. He looked up at her with a surprised expression realising she had been staring at him and both of them suddenly felt embarrassed.

"Hi Edward"

"Hi Bella" he stuttered. "We're doing photosynthesis today. I've just been reading up on it."

"Great ... umm ... Edward, are you doing anything on ..."

"Okay students listen up." Mr. Molina strode into the room and slapped some papers down on his desk and started fiddling with the overhead projector. Bella stopped talking and turned to face the front knowing full well her face was turning slightly pink. She could sense that Edward's eyes were staring at her from the side but she couldn't bring herself to take the conversation further as 'the moment' had just flown out the window.

Mr. Molina launched into his lecture on the transference of light energy into heat energy then pulled the blinds down in the classroom so that he could show the class a number of slides. Edward had reverted back to staring at the presentation or his text book while writing copious notes on his writing pad. Bella had an idea.

She tore a piece of paper off her pad and wrote Edward a note.

**_Will you take me to the Prom Edward?_**

She shoved the piece of paper over to Edward's side of the desk and looked directly ahead of her so that she couldn't see his reaction.

Edward read the note and pushed it under his writing pad. He carried on writing notes and listening to Mr. Molina's lecture intently.

A few minutes passed and Bella was getting agitated. She wrote another note.

**_Are you ignoring me?_**

She shoved that towards him. Edward picked it up, read it and placed it under his writing pad with the other note.

Aaaaargh! Bella drummed her fingers on her desk which earned her a stern look from Mr. Molina who was opening the blinds because the slide show was over. Bella hoped that he wouldn't question her on what had just been shown as frankly she hadn't concentrated at all, so she looked down at her books trying to avoid eye-contact.

After another frustrating half hour, the lesson was coming to an end and Bella bent down to pick her bag up from the floor ready to throw her books in. The bell went and Edward stood up and quickly picked up his books and walked behind her out of the classroom. It was only when she picked her last book up that she noticed a small piece of paper on the desk, which had only one word written on it and it said

**_Yes_**

Bella picked the note up and then realised that she didn't know whether he had said 'yes' to agree to take her to the prom or 'yes' that he was ignoring her. "Why is life so complicated?" she yelled. She grabbed her bag and hurried out of the classroom not knowing in which direction Edward had gone. She saw Angela in the corridor and sprinted up to her.

"Have you seen Edward Masen?"

"Yes he went that way – why?"

Bella didn't reply but walked quickly down the corridor until she saw Edward in front of her. He wasn't difficult to spot as he was one of the tallest guys in the school, even when hunched over. She realised he was probably heading for the library so she slowed down to give herself time to compose herself then she walked behind him, following him into his peaceful sanctuary where he headed towards his favourite spot by the window. He threw his bag onto the table and turned round and jumped, not expecting to see Bella behind him.

Bella waved his note in front of him. "Does this mean yes, you will take me to the prom or yes, you're ignoring me?"

Edward looked slightly bemused at the sight of Bella bristling with frustration in front of him; this was new territory for him as girls were an alien species as far as he was concerned. He hadn't even considered attending the Prom and Bella's invitation had come as a bit of a shock to him, but he had taken a spur of the moment decision to accept as he had enjoyed her company in lessons during the past year and considered her his intellectual equal.

"Yes, I would like to escort you to the prom Bella" he responded formally, but not sounding too enthusiastic.

"Good, that's settled then." Bella looked at him expectantly as she presumed he would want to talk about arrangements, but Edward looked at her blankly not knowing what to say next.

"Is that it?" she said.

"What do you want me to say?"

"I don't know." Bella looked flustered. She was in new territory herself but didn't want to admit that she almost expected him to be a bit grateful that an attractive girl had asked him out.

"Why have you asked me to take you Bella – I'm sure you've had plenty of offers already?"

Bella looked blankly at him and didn't respond as she wasn't expecting that question.

"Am I a charity case – do you feel sorry for me, because if so I'd rather stay at home"

"No Edward, I didn't ask you because I felt sorry for you" Bella replied, quite taken aback by the accusation." I asked you because I've enjoyed working with you this year and I just wanted to spend one evening with you before we graduate and disappear off to different colleges and probably never see each other again."

Edward ran his hand through his hair feeling slightly contrite. "I'm sorry Bella, I've enjoyed working with you as well" he said sheepishly, "I must admit you've made my last year at school almost bearable."

They both chuckled and were given filthy looks by the librarian who told them to be quiet, so Bella left the library leaving Edward to get on with his studies, but only after they had made arrangements for their 'date' even though it was still a few weeks away.

* * *

The next day she told Angela and Jessica that she was going to the Prom with Edward.

"What!"

"Are you mad?"

"He's gross"

"Is he paying you?"

That was Jessica's reaction. Angela took a different view, presuming that Bella felt sorry for Edward because he never got invited to parties and didn't socialise at all after school.

"I think that's very sweet of you Bella, I'm sure he's very grateful" she said and patted Bella on the arm.

"I've not asked him because I feel sorry for him" Bella cried exasperated.

"Well, you can't fancy him" Jessica responded.

"No, I don't fancy him, in fact I don't fancy any of the boys in our year so I might as well go with Edward as with anyone else."

Angela could see the logic behind this but Jessica proclaimed she would rather not go at all than be seen with Edward. Mike had finally asked her to be his date so she was already plotting how she would make sure that by the end of the evening he would have absolutely no regrets that Bella had turned him down.

The conversation turned to dresses and shoes and a trip to Port Angeles was arranged to do some serious shopping. Bella reluctantly agreed to go on the understanding she could spend some time alone in the biggest bookstore in the area while the girls were trawling every shop in the town. She didn't think it would take long to find a suitable dress for herself, but she knew that Angela and Jessica would probably visit every dress shop at least once before making their decision and Bella could think of nothing worse.

* * *

The final few weeks of term were taken up with exams and graduation. Bella's mother travelled to Forks from Florida for the ceremony with husband number four, following which they had an awkward meal out with Charlie and his new girlfriend Sue. The one and only decent restaurant in Forks was full of families celebrating with their offspring but Bella didn't really enjoy being piggy-in-the-middle of her warring family.

At the table, to take her mind off the bickering, her mind wandered back to the ceremony when she received her diploma; there had been whoops and cheers from the audience when she walked onto the stage, however when Edward received his diploma plus an award for being the outstanding student of the year hardly a ripple was heard from the audience, the only clapping came from the academic staff. She had watched him walk away from the ceremony on his own and she felt sad that he had no family or friends around to support him and felt angry on his behalf.

The night of the Prom followed and Bella dressed herself in her small bedroom on her own. Her friends had all been to beauty parlours or spas during the afternoon and were travelling to the venue together, probably in one of those ghastly stretched limos she thought, but she wasn't into all that fuss and bother so she just took a shower and put a few rollers in her hair to give it a bit more lift, applied a small amount of make-up to enhance her eyes and colour her lips and then slipped her dress on which was a slim-fitting sheath dress with spaghetti straps in emerald green silk. Charlie had bought her some tiny emerald and diamond studs as a graduation present and they matched her dress perfectly. She slipped on some silver strappy sandals that were slightly higher than she was used to and made her way carefully downstairs to wait for Edward.

They had arranged that he would pick her up in his father's car that he was borrowing for the evening. She had no idea whether he was going to wear a suit or go casual, but whatever he wore it wouldn't matter as she had already been ridiculed to her face by almost every girl in her year group for asking Edward to be her date, so she had a fair idea what she was in for whatever he wore.

She wasn't bothered that he wasn't handsome, in fact Edward was almost a caricature of a geek, but there was something about him that intrigued her and she was sorry now that she hadn't made an effort to get to know him better this year and now it was too late. As expected he had been accepted into an Ivy League University and she had overheard him telling Mr. Molina that he would be travelling to the East Coast almost immediately after the end of term, so there was a strong possibility she wouldn't see him again after this evening.

She heard the sound of a car pulling up in her drive and a few seconds later she heard a knock on the front door. Charlie had been hovering in the hallway having just strategically placed his police rifle in plain sight of whoever entered his domain and he introduced himself to Edward by shaking his hand very firmly before inviting him in.

Bella was waiting nervously in the living room not knowing what to expect. She had been having visions of Ron Weasley's hideous outfit that he wore in The Goblet of Fire and was wondering whether Edward would turn up in something similar, so now she was now starting to panic just a little bit even though she realised that was really quite shallow of her.

She stood up as Edward walked through the door but instead of the scruffy geek she was used to seeing in his check shirt and faded jeans, in front of her was a tall, upright, handsome young man in an immaculate tuxedo. If it wasn't for his bad skin he could have come straight from a runway in Milan. The geek had disappeared without a trace; in his place was a very classy and stylish guy.

She tried to say hello but suddenly realised that her tongue had stuck itself to the roof of her mouth and when she went to move away from the chair, her knees buckled underneath her. "Oh My God!" was the phrase that was running through her brain as she looked and then looked again at her date, wondering if he had just been visited by his Fairy Godmother and that he just might have to be home by midnight!

Whatever had happened to Edward to make him look like this she didn't care, because now she couldn't wait to get to the Prom!


	2. CSI Seattle 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

Edward was wearing an immaculate black tuxedo that looked as though it was handmade by Italian tailors especially for him; his broad shoulders and super-slim frame was the perfect body shape for the elegant cut of the suit which just oozed class. He had ditched the tinted glasses for contacts and Bella noticed the colour of his eyes for the first time; they were blue, no they were grey, whatever they were they were the most beautiful dreamy colour and were surrounded by long, dark eyelashes.

Without his large thick framed glasses the shape of his face had changed as Edward's high cheekbones gave his face a lean, hungry and very sexy appearance. His eyebrows had been trimmed and tamed so that they framed his eyes making them look intense. His hair was the same usual mess, but it gave him the 'just out of bed' look which was very sexy. His skin was still in a bad way either due to hormones or poor diet, but the overall transformation was amazing and Bella was speechless.

Edward was holding a small box which he handed to her. "You look very lovely Bella" he said as he watched Bella open the box with shaking hands and take out a dainty corsage. He helped her slip it onto her wrist then offered his arm for her to take, leading her out of the room under the watchful gaze of Charlie who was wondering where the heck his little girl had gone.

In the drive was his father's beautiful silver Mercedes. Edward opened the car door for Bella and helped her into the passenger seat then strolled round to the driver's side. As he carefully reversed the car out onto the road Bella gave her father a big smile and a small wave as they pulled away. Bella settled herself into the car's luxurious leather seats and as they sped towards the Prom venue she just couldn't help it but the biggest, smuggest grin spread over her face as she imagined, with enormous satisfaction, what the reaction was going to be when she walked into the Prom with Edward 'Sex-on-Legs' Masen.

She was trying to 'sideways' look at him without making it obvious that she was staring as she couldn't get over Edward's metamorphosis. The change was amazing; it wasn't just losing the glasses that had made him look so different, his whole demeanour had altered. He normally walked with his head down not wanting to make eye contact, but tonight it was though he had grown another six inches as he had walked into her living room with his head held high and an air of confidence that was oozing out of every pore.

The venue was only ten minutes away and the Mercedes was soon travelling slowly through the entrance and being sent in the opposite direction from the ostentatious stretched limos that were queuing up by the main door ready to spill out their already intoxicated occupants.

Mike, Jessica, Angela and Ben had arrived early and were hanging around the doorway waiting for Bella's arrival; Mike and Jessica to inevitably poke fun at her and her date and Angela and Ben to give support to both Edward and Bella who they anticipated were going to have a hard time this evening. Mike had already drunk far too much before arriving at the Prom and Jessica was sneakily taking sips from a bottle of vodka that she had hidden in her bag, so Angela was already feeling anxious on Bella's behalf as she hated conflict.

"There she is" Angela said to Jessica, pointing towards Bella who was walking in their direction from the car park. She had helped Bella choose her dress when they went to Port Angeles on their shopping trip and the emerald creation was easy to spot from a distance.

"Who's that guy she's with – that's not Edward" said Jessica, squinting her eyes into the low evening sun. "He's fucking gorgeous."

Mike burst out laughing. "She was winding us up all along – don't you see, she had no intention of coming with that skank Edward, she was just pissing with us."

"I don't think so Mike" Angela said. "Look."

Bella and Edward walked slowly up to the welcoming party arm in arm. Angela was the only one capable of speech as the other three were staring open-mouthed at Edward.

"Hi Bella" she said and kissed her on the cheek. "You look really lovely, your dress is so gorgeous. Hi Edward – we didn't recognise you without your glasses; what a fantastic suit."

"Thanks Angela" Bella said, trying to sound nonchalant. "Were you waiting for us?"

Jessica's chin was on her chest so she could just manage a whimpered "Hi" before turning her back to them and taking a long swig straight from her bottle of vodka. She was seriously expecting to be Prom Queen tonight but now she wasn't so sure; Bella looked sensational and the term 'less is more' suddenly made sense to her. Edward was a revelation; he was hot, pure and simple, and she couldn't take her eyes off him. How the heck had that happened she thought.

Mike pulled himself away from the wall he was slumped against and straightened his jacket. He had always been top dog in this school; best looking, best footballer, rich parents, but he recognised there was serious competition here so he was glad that Edward was leaving Forks for University soon which meant he could carry on working his way through the town's female population without a rival to spoil his fun. "Masen" he said, acknowledging Edward's presence. Edward just nodded back as he could sense the start of a pissing contest here.

Ben took Angela's hand and said "let's go in guys" trying to lighten the mood, so they walked into the hall together and were ushered first of all to have their official photographs taken.

Bella turned to Edward and asked him if he was okay with this. He nodded his assent and posed with Bella, his arm placed around her waist and his head tilted down so he was looking at her. After they left the photo booth they walked across the dance floor heading for the bar and Bella watched with amusement as the crowd parted like the Red Sea in front of them; the looks on the faces of her classmates who stared at Edward first in confusion, then recognition and then shock was priceless. It wasn't Edward's clothes, or even the fact that without his glasses his eyes and bone structure were now revealed for all to see, it was his manner, his confidence, his elegance that made him stand out. He was a man in a room full of boys and every person in the room with a pair of ovaries was taking notice.

At the bar Edward ordered two sodas and escorted Bella to a table as far away from the noise of the music as possible so that they could talk. He pulled Bella's chair out for her and stood until Bella sat down. Bella wasn't used to manners like this and wondered whether he attended Charm School in his free time.

"Do you like these events?" Edward shouted over the music, which was still too loud for normal conversation.

"No, not really" Bella replied." I can't dance and I don't like this type of music but I wanted to come tonight as it's the end of an era I suppose. I can't really tell my future kids that I didn't bother going to the Senior Prom."

Edward laughed, "that's true, but it wouldn't have bothered me." He gestured that they should touch glasses together and they both had a drink. "Have you chosen your college yet?" he said, trying to keep the conversation going.

Bella nodded her head. "I'm doing a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice in Seattle, specialising in Forensics. My dad is a policeman and he tells me about some of the jobs he gets involved with and it sounds really fascinating."

"Wow!" Edward said, genuinely impressed. "That sounds really interesting. Have you been to Seattle before?"

"Only occasionally at weekends and of course when I went to visit the college but I can't wait to get out of Forks, to be somewhere where there is more life."

"I know how you feel; it is a bit claustrophobic here"

"Don't you mean dead?"

Edward laughed.

"Where are you studying Edward?" Bella already knew, but she was wanted Edward to keep talking.

"I'm doing a Bio-Medical Science Degree at Yale. I'm hoping to specialise in DNA and genetics which means I'll probably stay there to do my PhD, so I will be in University for about six years at least. I may do a medical degree at the same time, but I haven't decided yet."

"So you're going to move permanently to Connecticut?"

"Yes, my father went to Yale, it's sort of expected and I have family there."

"What does your father do?" Bella was surprised that Edward was talking so freely, in the past few minutes she had got more out of him than she had in the past year.

"He's a neurosurgeon now, he used to be a scientist but he changed careers and went into medicine when he was in his early thirties. He was called away on the day of the graduation as there was an emergency at the hospital, so he couldn't attend the ceremony."

"What branch of science was he in" Bella asked.

"My father and his brother started off in medical research after they both graduated from Yale, but my father eventually decided he wanted to be more hands-on and decided to train to become a surgeon. My uncle has stayed in research and now owns and runs a private laboratory close to Yale."

"What about your mother?"

"My mother is in a nursing home. She contracted senile dementia at a very young age which is one of the reasons why I want to go into medical research. My ambition is to find a cure for dementia and Alzheimer's one day or at least to stop its progression once it has been diagnosed."

"I'm so sorry about your mother" Bella said, now feeling bad that she thought Edward's parents hadn't bothered to attend his graduation.

"What about your family Bella?"

"Well I live with my Dad, but my mom and her latest husband live in Florida. She left Dad when I was four and ran off with his best friend to live in Phoenix taking me with her. He has never forgiven her for that; not for leaving him but for taking his best friend away. The relationship didn't last long though and I've had several 'step dads' while I was growing up. Then she found Phil and she packed me off to live with Charlie a year and a half ago."

"That sounds tough" Edward said sympathetically.

"It was okay" Bella responded philosophically. "I just stayed in my room studying when Mom was 'entertaining' downstairs. We hardly spoke to each other when I was a teenager and I preferred it that way."

As they were both running out of things to talk about Bella took a sip of her drink and they both watched in amusement at the antics taking place on the dance floor. The music had slowed down and there was lots of groping and fondling going on under the glitter-ball lights. Bella watched Ben's hand slowly creeping south onto Angela's bottom, only for it to be slapped and forcefully moved up to her waist where it had to remain. Mike however had both hands blatantly placed on Jessica's buttocks as they turned slowly in a circle, their heads on each other's shoulders, both looking totally wasted.

Simply Red's 'Holding Back the Years' was being played and Edward stood up and held his hand out to Bella. "Would you like to dance" he said, confidently.

"I can't dance Edward, I was born with two left feet."

Edward took her hands and pulled her out of her seat, guiding her onto the dance floor. "It's not that difficult Bella, look, Mike and Jessica are doing it and they are seriously drunk."

Bella giggled and slid one hand around the back of Edward's waist as he took her other hand gently in his and started swaying in time to the music.

Bella had never been held like this before. Edward's suit jacket was soft like silk, which it probably was, and she could feel his body under the material. He was really thin, in fact she could not recall ever seeing him eat anything and she wondered whether he had been obliged to look after himself when his mother became ill. His father obviously worked long hours and he probably didn't have time to make sure Edward ate properly. His skin problems were most likely due to bad diet and she suddenly felt very sad now that she had not taken him under her wing when they first started working together.

Without realising she was doing it she laid her head against Edward's chest and they slowly moved together while Mick Hucknall was soulfully singing about his lost childhood. At the end of the song the lights were turned up as the announcement of the Prom King and Queen was about to be made by the Principal. Edward led Bella back to their table to carry on where their conversation left off as this part of the evening held no interest for them.

They were chatting about their university courses when they heard a cheer go up when Mike was proclaimed King, followed by shouts of laughter as the crowd watched in amusement as he fell up the steps onto the stage before grabbing hold of the Principal to steady himself, almost pulling her jacket off. Jessica was hopping up and down in anticipation of her name being called – she had worked her butt off for votes and was still smarting from not being made Homecoming Queen. She ran her fingers through her hair and straightened her dress up, rearranging her cleavage to show it off to its best advantage for the photographer.

The Principal stepped up to the microphone and announced "our Prom Queen for 2003 is Isabella Swan."

"Oh My God" Bella said and put her face in her hands. This was the last think she wanted – she knew a few of her friends had said they would vote for her but she hadn't canvassed for this at all; she hated being centre of attention and she knew Jessica would be devastated again, but most of all it meant that she would have to dance with Mike, and that thought horrified her.

"I can't go up there Edward – help me" she said, pleading.

"Come on Bella, just get it over and done with. If Mike starts groping you, I'll cut in."

Edward took her hand and led her through the crowd who were clapping and cheering; Jessica and Angela were nowhere to be seen. He walked with her to the stage and watched anxiously as she carefully negotiated the steps towards her personal hell in her high heels, then he applauded with everyone else as Mike and Bella followed the school's tradition and sat on the ornate 'thrones' and had silver crowns placed on their heads.

After a tedious speech by the Principal about the benefits of further education, Mike and Bella were escorted to the dance floor by members of staff and the DJ played Marvin Gaye's 'Let's Get It On' which was a totally inappropriate song to play at a High School Prom as far as the staff were concerned, but for the students – many of whom were likely going to be 'getting it on' before the evening was over - highly appropriate.

Bella was practically holding Mike upright as they moved around the floor. His hands started to wander and she grabbed hold of them before they touched any of the 'No-Go' areas. She could see Edward's eyes watching Mike intently and the last thing she wanted was a scene.

"Why are you so uptight Bella" Mike whispered into her ear. His lips went down to her neck and he attempted to give her a hickey.

"Get off Mike, everyone is watching. You're drunk." Bella pulled away from him as far as possible but his arms were locked tightly around her waist.

"Would you prefer to go somewhere quieter then, you and me alone, just lead the way Bella" he slurred and tried to give her a sexy wink but failed.

"No Mike, I'm with Edward tonight and you're with Jessica. After this dance I'm going home, with Edward" she said forcefully.

Mike's hand grabbed her bottom aggressively and he pulled her body tightly against him. She could feel his erection through his trousers and she felt sick.

"You're a prick-tease Bella Swan – you play all coy like you're not interested in me just to provoke a reaction. You need teaching a lesson." He smashed his lips onto Bella's mouth and the audience cheered, as they were totally unaware what they were witnessing.

Edward strode across the dance floor and grabbed Mike by the ears, digging his fingernails into the flesh and dragging him backwards, causing Mike to shriek out and instantly loosen his grip on Bella. She staggered away and fell into the arms of Angela who had come back from comforting Jessica and had already worked out what was going on and had been trying to persuade Ben to intervene.

Mike spun around and took a swing at Edward who easily ducked out of the way causing Mike to lose his balance and end up in a heap face down on the floor.

The music stopped and the Principal and other members of staff barrelled their way through the crowd towards the disturbance. They saw Mike prostrate on the ground and immediately presumed that Edward had attacked him. The sports coach and another teacher got hold of Edward by the arms and started to manhandle him towards the entrance.

"Stop!" Bella screamed and rushed up to the Principal. "Edward was protecting me; Mike's drunk and he was touching me inappropriately, Edward stopped him."

Edward shook himself free from his assailants and they backed away from him quickly when they saw the murderous look in his eyes. The audience of stunned students were looking in disbelief first at their dishevelled Prom King who was now trying unsuccessfully to get himself up off the floor and then at the boy they had previously known as geeky, skinny, feeble Edward Masen, who was now bristling with rage and standing over his opponent like a prize fighter.

They couldn't wait to see what happened next.


	3. CSI Seattle 3

**CHAPTER THREE**

While Ben was confirming Bella's version of events to the Principal, Bella took Edward's hand and pulled him off the dance floor. She wanted to go home as she could feel the eyes of everyone in the room boring into her back. She quickly grabbed her bag leaving the crown on the table and propelled Edward towards the door, just stopping briefly on the way to speak to Angela to ask her to stay with Jessica and make sure she was alright. They stepped out into the cool night air just as the music started up once more.

Edward took a deep breath and stared up at the starlit sky. He didn't know what the hell had just happened to him in there and what had made him react in such a way. He had never behaved aggressively in his life before and was horrified that he had attacked Mike like that without thinking about the implications of his actions. He had felt a surge of adrenalin coursing through his veins when Mike assaulted Bella with his mouth, or was it testosterone or even jealousy? Whatever, he needed to calm down so he stood there taking long deep breaths as his heart rate slowly returned to normal.

Bella stood in front of Edward and stood on tiptoe to kiss him gently on the cheek. "Thank you for rescuing me Edward, I'm so grateful you were there, I don't know what I would have done without you."

Edward shook his head. "I don't know what came over me Bella. I felt an overwhelming urge to protect you. I couldn't help myself; I don't know what happened in there, I'm not that person you saw at all."

"I know that Edward, but I'm still very grateful and very impressed. You were my knight in shining armour tonight." She threw her arms around him and gave him a hug. "Can you take me home now, I just want to get away from this place and everyone in there?"

"Are you sure, it's still early?"

Bella nodded her head. "I still feel a little bit shaky Edward, Mike called me a prick-tease and he was so aggressive, he really frightened me."

Edward put his arm around her shoulders and they slowly walked towards where his car was parked. He didn't speak while they were walking and Bella could tell he was deep in thought as his brow was creased and she noticed his knuckles were clenched and white.

When they got to the car Edward turned to her and put his arms around her in a gentle embrace. "I feel like I want to go back there and rip Mike's head off Bella. I've never felt so aggressive or angry about anyone or anything before in my life. I'm really having difficulty controlling myself."

Bella was at a loss as to what to do to distract him. The last thing she wanted was for a fight to break out. Mike had a lot of friends in there and she knew they would defend him if it came to it, so Bella had to think quickly to diffuse the situation.

"I don't want you to go back in there Edward, Mike is a moron and it was just the drink talking. He'll probably be really sorry about what happened in the morning, if he remembers. Just let it go, I will eventually."

Edward ran his fingers through his hair and reflected on what Bella had just said. "Okay, let's go" he muttered and gave Bella a quick kiss on top of her head. He opened the car door for her and she climbed into her seat and watched him stride purposefully around the front of the car to the driver's side.

Edward drove slowly back to Bella's house as he didn't want the evening to end just yet. When they pulled into the drive Bella noticed that Charlie's police car had gone and she guessed he had probably been called out on an emergency. Edward had cut the engine and was already walking round to Bella's door to open it; he put his hand out for her to hold and she took it while she got out of the car as she still felt a bit shaky. They walked up the path hand in hand and Bella turned to him. "Would you like to come in Edward, I don't want the evening to end just yet?"

Edward hesitated. He was tempted but this was unchartered territory he was entering; he didn't want to push his luck as he wasn't sure of the signals Bella was giving him. He realised that he was probably fearing rejection if he tried anything on and was rebuffed, but Bella was opening the front door with her free hand and pulling him into the hallway with the other; fortunately the rifle had disappeared along with her father.

Bella had sensed his hesitation and guessed that he was nervous. At the beginning of the evening she had had no intention of seducing him and she guessed he was too much of a gentleman to try anything on, but she didn't want the evening to end on such a downer. The thought of getting into an amorous clinch with Edward had not entered her head before she saw him come into her living room less than two hours ago and just because he now looked 'fuck-hot' should not really be influencing her, but of course it was and this was making her feel very shallow again.

As she led Edward into the living room Bella's brain was working overtime. If he had turned up tonight looking geek-ish and unstylish, would she have had an overwhelming desire to experience what his soft pouty mouth would taste like on her lips like she was doing now, or be desperate to know what his hair would feel like in her hands if she grasped handfuls of it if he kissed her? He was the same Edward who had sat next to her in class for the whole of last year; should an Italian suit, contact lenses and bucketloads of confidence make him more desirable?

Edward followed Bella into the living room. Were her hips swaying slightly more than before? Was she running her fingers through her long curls and flicking them over her shoulders coquettishly just to tempt him – if so it was working. He put his hand on her shoulder and spun her round to face him.

"Do you want me to kiss you Bella?" he asked and stared straight into her eyes and Bella felt the intensity of his gaze hit her like a laser beam. She nodded her head slightly and raised her face up to his. He bent down and gently kissed her lips, lingering for a few seconds and then he drew back to look at her face to gauge her reaction. This was the first time he had kissed a girl on the lips and it felt good, really good.

Bella's eyes were closed. She had just felt the softness of Edward's lips on hers and she was hoping for more, much much more. She had experienced a few amateur teenage 'snogs' in her time from random boys at her previous school, but had never been past first base. Edward's kiss had felt totally different from what she had experienced before, it was slow, gentle and sensual and her body had tingled in response. She moved in closer to him and gripped the lapels of his jacket, hoping that Edward would take this as a sign that she wanted him to continue, which he did.

Edward put his hands on either side of her neck running his thumbs gently over her jaw and then went in for the kill. He opened his mouth slightly and covered Bella's lips, gently encouraging her with his tongue to part them. One hand slid up from her neck to the back of her head, and he buried his fingers in her hair while his other hand grasped her around her waist, pulling her tightly against his body. Bella opened her mouth in surprise and Edward's tongue slipped in, causing Bella to moan in appreciation. His tongue explored her mouth while his lips moved against hers expertly and Bella was overwhelmed by the sensations she was feeling all over her body.

Edward guided Bella over to the sofa and they collapsed down onto it not disconnecting their kiss which was becoming more passionate and frantic with each passing second. Edward was gripping handfuls of Bella's hair and she was running her fingers through his as their tongues entwined. He broke away from her mouth and started kissing along her jaw, then behind her ear, then down her neck and along her collar bone. Bella's dress was quite modest in that no cleavage was on show, so he carried on up to her other ear and then sucked a small love bite just below her hair line.

He pulled back and gazed into her eyes in wonderment. Kissing girls had never been high on his list of priorities and he had managed to reach nearly nineteen years of age without giving the pursuit of females a second thought. He was now realising what he had been missing and he wondered whether all girls were as soft as Bella, as responsive as Bella, as sexy as Bella. He couldn't imagine a kiss being better than the one he just experienced – Bella's mouth was made for him and he wanted to wallow in her kisses while exploring the rest of her soft, responsive body.

Bella touched his face with her hand and saw the passion that was radiating back at her from Edward's eyes. His kissing technique was staggering; her body was responding in ways that she had never experienced before and she was completely turned on. His expertise was so unexpected; where the heck had he learned to kiss like that? You can't learn that from a text book!

Without thinking of the consequences, she took hold of one end of his bow tie and pulled it so it fell apart then she slowly started unbuttoning his shirt. Edward's eyes were fixed on hers while she was undressing him and Dear God, he looked sexy she thought.

Edward covered her mouth with his again and moved across her body so he was lying completely on top of her. She could feel that he was aroused now as he was pressing himself against her thigh and she started to panic slightly as this was not a situation she was prepared for. Even so, she felt the overwhelming urge to wrap her legs around him but her dress was tight fitting and it would have been impossible for her to do this without pulling it up around her waist. As Edward's tongue slipped into her mouth again and she responded with a loud moan, they heard the unmistakable sound of a vehicle pulling up outside and the lights from Charlie's squad car lit up the room.

Edward jumped off the sofa and pulled Bella into an upright position and they both frantically straightened their clothes and hair before the key turned in the lock. Bella felt her face burst into flames and the thought that her father would soon cotton on to what they had been doing was mortifying and she feared for Edward's safety.

"You're home early" Charlie said as he breezed through the door holding an enormous pizza box and half a dozen beer cans. Without looking at either of them, he headed towards the sofa they had just vacated, kicked his shoes off, turned the TV on and settled down for a typical evening of sport, beer and junk food. Bella took Edward's hand and quickly pulled him into the kitchen, almost knocking over the rifle that had reappeared and was strategically propped up near the front door again.

"I'd better go" Edward said. He pulled her towards him and kissed her gently on her lips.

"Will I see you before you leave Edward?"

"I don't know Bella, I'll be in touch."

They walked out onto the front porch and Bella put her arms around his neck. "Kiss me again Edward, please."

Edward looked into her eyes for a few moments as if he was trying to preserve the memory of her face; he brushed a strand of hair away from her cheek then he kissed her gently at first then he took her bottom lip into his mouth and sucked it while Bella whimpered and moaned with pleasure. His breathing accelerated and Bella felt herself moving backwards until she was pressed up against the wall of the house. His tongue was in her mouth now and as he was devouring her he grabbed hold of the material of her dress and pulled it upwards, then he lifted her up off the floor, wrapped her legs around his body and pressed himself against her. She could feel his arousal right where she was on fire and their kisses became more passionate and frenzied as they writhed and moaned in a tight embrace. Edward's hands were moving over Bella's body while her hands were buried in his silky hair. Tears had started to form in her eyes as a feeling of pure ecstasy overwhelmed her. This kiss would live in her memory for the rest of her life and she didn't want it to stop.

Edward broke the kiss and rested his head on Bella's shoulder while he regained his composure. He was seriously aroused but was not prepared to take this any further tonight. He had never thought himself capable of this level of passion and he felt totally out of control. He knew he had to stop as it would be unfair of him to have sex with Bella tonight, which is what he wanted to do. He was leaving Forks very soon and would probably never see her ever again as his father was selling up and following him to the East Coast. He carefully put Bella back down onto her feet and wiped a tear from her cheek with his fingers.

"I'll never forget tonight as long as I live Bella. You are a beautiful girl and a beautiful person."

Bella laid her head against his chest and listened to his rapidly beating heart. She could hear her own heartbeat pounding in her ears and she was astounded that a kiss could work her up to this extent. She didn't want him to go but she accepted that if they went any further tonight she would become emotionally attached to him and he would soon be thousands of miles away. This had to end now before she crossed that particular boundary.

"Goodnight Edward, thank you for taking me to the Prom and for being my knight in shining armour"

"Goodnight Bella, it was my pleasure and I'm glad I was able to come to your rescue."

Bella walked Edward to his car and they gave each other a chaste kiss on the lips before he climbed in and started the engine. He slowly reversed the car onto the road and pulled away heading towards the forest where his father's house was situated. She could see him looking in the mirror back at her so she gave him a small wave. He responded raising his hand to wave back and then his car disappeared around a bend in the road.

* * *

Bella walked up the steps and stood on the porch wondering what the hell had just happened. She opened the door and entered the house, locking the door behind her. Charlie had his feet up on the sofa and was just opening beer number three so Bella said goodnight to him and slowly walked up the stairs to her room.

Sitting on her bed opposite her mirror she looked at her reflection. She moved her hair away from her neck and the small love bite was just visible as evidence that what had just happened hadn't been a delicious dream. Her fingers moved up to her swollen lips and she ran her tongue over them to see whether she could still taste Edward on them. The fire that had been ignited inside her was gradually cooling but she still yearned for him; she wanted to feel his hands on her body again and his lips on her mouth. Damn it, she wanted to feel him inside her and not just his tongue. How many of her classmates were losing their virginities tonight or having sex if they had done it before? Why couldn't it be her?

She undressed and cleaned her make-up off and got into bed. Sleep wasn't going to come easy tonight but hopefully she would see Edward again at least once before he went off to Yale or she would have to wait until he came home at Christmas. She was already craving to have that experience again; Edward's kiss was a powerful drug that she needed more of. She was already addicted to the rush of emotions he had ignited in her and she wanted another fix before the memory left her completely. With that thought she closed her eyes and eventually a restless sleep came to her.

* * *

Edward arrived home and wandered up to his room. He shut his door and leaned his back against it then sunk slowly down onto the floor and put his head in his hands. "Why did that have to happen tonight?" he asked himself. His brain was in turmoil; Bella had lit a fire in his belly and it was consuming him from the inside. He could still smell her perfume, he could still feel her touch and he could still taste her lips on his. He shook his head in despair, "why now, why did this have to happen just when he was about to leave Forks?"

He stood up and crossed the room to his desk, took a piece of paper from a drawer and wrote a short letter. He placed it in an envelope then put it on top of his luggage that was packed and stacked neatly in the corner of his room.

When he eventually got into bed he lay there unable to sleep thinking about Bella and the effect she had on him tonight. They had spent a whole academic year together and he had never felt any sort of sexual energy between them, or 'chemistry' as some people described it, so what the hell had happened to him to make him react the way he had.

Even at the Prom he had no intention of kissing her, well not proper kissing, just 'goodnight, I've had a great time' kissing. Thinking back to what had happened that evening, he realised that it was only when he stepped in to defend her honour so to speak that testosterone had taken over his brain and he felt like man for the first time. The aggression he felt towards Mike coupled with the need to protect the girl who was effectively his 'mate' had stirred the caveman instinct in him and if a club had been near to hand, he would have smashed Mike to a pulp.

When he kissed her on the lips that first time, it was like an invisible hand had grabbed hold of his balls and massaged them. His body had immediately gone into a state of arousal as Bella's mouth was made for him and her body was a perfect fit. There had been no fumbling or awkwardness, the passion between them had been intense but had felt so natural; their bodies were totally in tune.

He was aroused now just thinking of her. When she wrapped her legs around his body on the porch he had almost come in his pants and he was just as turned on now. He could still feel her warmth and smell her perfume; he could taste her tongue in his mouth and feel her fingers in his hair. His hand was on his cock now and within seconds he released onto his chest as a vision of Bella looking down into his eyes with her long brown hair framing her beautiful face appeared in his subconscious.

He lay there in blissful agony for a few minutes before rolling off his bed and cleaning himself up in his bathroom. He got back into bed and turned his lamp off and attempted to get to sleep but all he could think about was Bella and her perfect mouth and the passion in her kisses and the softness of her body; then he thought about the long journey he had ahead of him tomorrow and despaired.

* * *

The following morning Bella got up late and wandered down to the kitchen to get some breakfast. Charlie had already left for work so she had the house to herself today. She filled a jug at the sink and was crossing the kitchen to top up the coffee machine when she saw an envelope with her name printed on it propped up on the small kitchen table. She sat down on one of the chairs and opened the envelope carefully, wondering who could have delivered a hand-written letter so early in the morning as it must have arrived before Charlie left. She unfolded the piece of paper carefully and instantly recognised Edward's neat handwriting and her hand flew up to her mouth. She read the note twice, then laid her head on the table sobbing quietly.

**_Dear Bella,_**

**_By the time you read this I will be on my way to Hartford, Connecticut. I'm afraid I'm not very good with goodbye's which is why I didn't tell you last night that I would be leaving Forks immediately. My uncle has arranged some work experience in his laboratory over the summer recess, which is a fantastic opportunity for me to have before my course starts._**

**_Good luck with your degree Bella and your future career. I will never forget last night and will carry the memory of taking the most beautiful girl in the school to the Senior Prom for the rest of my life._**

**_Goodbye and Good Luck,_**

**_Edward_**

and this was the last communication she had with Edward until ten years later, when Tom Bailey and his wife discovered an arm in the forest near Forks.


	4. CSI Seattle 4

**CHAPTER FOUR**

**Almost ten years later ….**

Assistant Chief of Police James Witherdale nodded in respect at the coffin as he walked up to the pulpit to give the final eulogy.

"We have gathered here today to celebrate the life of Jacob Black who was taken from us suddenly and cruelly whilst on duty in Seattle eight days ago. He was a highly respected member of the group of valiant men and women whose work protects our lives, our homes, our businesses, without asking for thanks or commendations, not even for large financial reward. They daily put their lives on the line for the general population of this city who live in blissful ignorance of the depths some members of the human race can sink, and occasionally and always tragically they pay the ultimate price and give their lives so that we can be protected from the detritus of our society.

Jacob paid that ultimate price when he was attacked while investigating the gruesome murders being perpetrated by the serial killer who is stalking Seattle. He was leading a team from the Seattle CSI who, along with other police departments, have been searching for this maniac since March. His loss will be felt deeply throughout our law enforcement agencies as his expertise in finding value in the most insignificant piece of evidence and therefore secure a conviction was second to none.

His loss to the force is immeasurable but Jacob also leaves behind family and friends, many of whom are gathered here today. Jacob was the only son of Billy Black, who gave 35 years of service to the Seattle Police Department himself. Jacob's mother died two years ago after a long illness and we know from his friends that Jacob was a constant support to his father following his loss. I hope that you, the congregation, will help fill the void in Billy's life throughout the difficult times ahead.

Our final thoughts and prayers must be directed to Bella, Jacob's fiancé and colleague – his right hand girl in every aspect of his life. They were due to marry in two months here in this church, so we cannot imagine the pain she is experiencing at the moment. Bella wishes it to be known that she will be returning to her forensic duties next week as she is determined to discover who is carrying out these senseless killings and also to find the murderer of her beloved Jacob."

The priest thanked the Assistant Chief of Police for his contribution and asked the congregation to stand for the final hymn.

The organ started playing the first notes of Abide With Me but Bella wasn't singing. Her eyes were fixed forward but away from the coffin that was draped with the Stars and Stripes as she couldn't bear to look at the reality of what was in front of her. She was standing in between her father and Billy in the front row and surrounding them were members of Jacob's large extended family who were looking shocked and bewildered. On the other side of the church the pews were packed with representatives from every police station and law enforcement department in Washington State. Local politicians were also present to make sure their faces appeared on the news this evening, as they were under intense pressure from the public to pour more resources into the police service to find the serial killer before he struck again.

As the last notes of the hymn were played, six policemen gathered around the coffin and lifted it onto their shoulders and slowly carried it from the church. Outside on the sidewalks a small crowd had formed to pay their respects and TV cameras were trained on the relatives and friends as they left the church to get the most dramatic pictures. Bella hid her face from view with her hands as she climbed into the car which would take them to the Black's family plot and she fixed her eyes on the floor until it was out of sight of the church, then she let out a sigh of relief that the first part of the ordeal was over. Charlie took her hand reassuringly. "Well done Bella, it will soon be over" he said, marvelling at the tenacity of his daughter who had not yet shed a tear since her boss broke the news to her in her laboratory in what seemed like a lifetime ago.

The cars arrived at the cemetery and Bella stood between Billy and Charlie as the coffin was removed from the hearse for its final journey. Together they walked slowly to the graveside along a path lined with trees adorned with the bright green leaves of early summer. After the committal prayers were spoken by the priest, Jacob's coffin was lowered into the ground next to his mother and Bella held Billy's hand as they both threw flowers on top of the coffin together then stood back as the other members of his family did the same.

Bella looked across the top of the nearby gravestones and spotted movement behind one of the trees by the path. She saw a flash of red and knew immediately that Angela was hiding there as she recognised the colour of her coat. Only Angela could get away with wearing a bright red coat that made her look like Santa Claus she thought. When the service was over, Bella hugged Billy and kissed him on the cheek. "Billy, do you mind if I meet you back at the house, I need a bit of time to myself."

"Sure thing Bella," he said, "I'll see you later. You take as much time as you want, I guessed you would need some personal time with Jacob."

Billy was clutching the folded flag that had been draped over Jacob's coffin as he went over to speak to Charlie and together they walked away from the graveside back to the waiting cars, leaving Bella standing by the graveside alone.

She stood at the end of the plot looking down into grave now filled with the beautifully ornate coffin covered in flowers. She knew she had to make her peace with Jacob and it was now or never, so she took a deep breath and commenced the speech that had been going over and over in her head since the realisation hit her that she would never see or speak to him again.

"Goodbye Jacob, I hope you will forgive me wherever you are. I forgive you for what you said to me last time we spoke, I deserved nothing less." Bella looked up at the sky wondering whether Jacob could actually hear her as this was closure for her and it was important to say what had to be said. She swallowed the lump that was forming in her throat and continued.

"I don't regret what I did Jacob, it would have been dishonest of me not to do anything else but I'm sorry how I did it though, that was cruel, unfair, unkind and thoughtless."

Bella shook her head as the memory of their final argument sprang into her mind.

"I will always love you Jacob but it was wrong for us to stay together. I'm sorry that I hurt you and I will regret the timing to my dying day as I didn't get the chance to give you a proper explanation and to apologise for wasting two years of your life."

Bella's voice was starting to falter but she only had one more thing she needed to say.

"I promise I will keep an eye on Billy for you and I promise I will do everything in my power to find your killer. Goodbye Jacob. I hope you are with your mother and you are happy wherever you are."

Bella looked up and saw Angela had been watching her from the other end of the grave. She was holding her arms out so Bella walked towards her and they hugged, then they linked their arms together and slowly walked down the path leading to the cemetery gates.

"What do you want to do now Bella?" Angela asked.

"Coffee shop please" Bella replied. She couldn't face Billy's house yet, she needed some space away from weeping relatives, especially as they were constantly watching her for the first signs of the inevitable breakdown. She sent Charlie a text to tell him she was with Angela and they walked across the road to a Starbucks on the corner of the next street.

Bella stared at the froth on top of her cappuccino on which the barista had put one of those smiley faces in the cream. "If only he knew how inappropriate that was" she thought shaking her head.

Angela had overheard part of Bella's graveside speech and was at a loss why Bella was apologising to Jacob. She had always presumed that they were blissfully happy, but it was obvious from what she heard that this was not the case. Her bridesmaid dress was still hanging on the back of her bedroom door as the wedding had been due to take place in less than eight weeks time, but the part of Bella's speech she had overheard made it clear that their relationship must have been on the rocks.

"Bella, I overheard what you said in the cemetery. Is there something you want to share with me?"

Bella nodded. She needed to confess to someone before she went mad. She was on an emotional roller coaster and there was no sign of it stopping.

"I broke the engagement and told Jacob I was calling the wedding off on the night before he died Angela. We had a huge row and he walked out and I don't know where he spent the night. I never saw him again until he was lying on a slab in the morgue."

Angela's hand flew up to her mouth and she gasped in shock. "Why did you break it off Bella, I thought you were in love with him."

"I did love Jacob as a person, but there was something missing in our relationship. It didn't feel right; there was not enough passion, no unbridled lust, no excitement. He was just Jacob, a lovely, friendly guy who thought the world of me. I wanted to feel the earth move when he kissed me Angela and I needed to feel that he was totally into me when we were in bed, but it wasn't like that and I couldn't live like that anymore. I knew when we got engaged that he would never be enough but I had resigned myself to never finding anyone better. It was only as the wedding got closer I realised I was making a huge mistake."

Angela stared at Bella in disbelief. "You've been reading too many romantic books and watching silly romantic films Bella. This is real life, not fantasy. Guys like that don't exist and if they do, what's the chance you are ever going to meet one of them. Most men are only in love with themselves." Angela smiled sympathetically at Bella and took her hands that were resting on the table, giving them a gentle squeeze.

"But Angela, men like that do exist, 'he' does exist, I've kissed such a man, he made me feel alive, the earth moved when he touched me, it still moves every time I think of him. When I kissed Jacob or when we were in bed I used to imagine it was him to try and get myself excited, but it didn't work. I shouldn't have been thinking about someone else when we were together, it was wrong."

Angela's mouth dropped open. "Have you been having an affair Bella?"

"No, of course not. I was never physically unfaithful to Jacob, only mentally. It happened a long time ago."

Bella took a deep breath before she blurted out her long guarded secret to her best friend.

"Angela, it was Edward Masen who kissed me like that and I've never been kissed like it since by any man, not just Jacob. I wanted to feel that thrill again, I wanted to feel alive, to be kissed passionately by someone who was totally into me and to feel unmitigated and overwhelming desire for that person and if I had married Jacob I would have been making do. I would have been making a promise before God to be faithful to Jacob and therefore giving up any chance of experiencing that level of passion again for the rest of my life."

"You called off your wedding because of a boy who kissed you at your Senior Prom when you were eighteen" Angela cried incredulously. "For God's sake Bella, you were only with him for one night. Did you sleep with him?"

"No Angela, we just made out when he took me home and it was incredible. No-one has ever come close to making me feel how I felt that night"

"That was almost ten years ago, and you're still pining for your first love. Did you tell Jacob that?"

"No, we were in bed and after we had just had the usual fifteen minutes of boring passionless sex I blurted out that I was frustrated and that I needed more, and he said I was crazy. He took it personally like I was saying he was inadequate, but I wasn't saying that. I told him he would be perfect for someone else, he just wasn't perfect for me. We argued and I told him that I couldn't marry him as I couldn't endure a lifetime without passion which is when he walked out, but not before he accused me of living in a dream world."

Angela was looking at Bella as though she didn't know her. Jacob and Bella had been the textbook happy couple in her eyes and she was astounded by Bella's revelation.

"So what are you going to do Bella?"

"I don't know Angela, when you've had perfection, nothing else will do. I'm resigned now to being alone for the rest of my life."

When she said that the tears started to flow, but it was not for Jacob, it was for herself. Edward's kisses had ruined her for life. Even though that half hour of lust and unbridled passion was still crystal clear in her memory, she wished now that it had never happened as she was having to accept that she would never ever feel like that again, not unless Edward came back into her life which wasn't going to happen.

If he had wanted her as much as she wanted him he would have stayed in touch after that night in Forks in 2003, but he didn't try to make contact after he went to Yale and that convinced her that she had to resign herself to the fact that she had been lucky enough to have touched heaven once and she would have to make that exquisite memory last for the rest of her life.

Angela took her in her arms as the dam burst and Bella cried until she couldn't cry anymore.


	5. CSI Seattle 5

**CHAPTER FIVE**

**One week later at CSI Seattle**

"Hi Bella"

"Hi Sam"

"Hey Bella, glad to have you back"

"Thanks Quil"

"Are you Okay Bella?"

"Yes I'm fine Emily, just pleased to be back at work"

"Hi Bella"

"Hi Leah, how are you, how's your head?"

"OK, still a bit sore when I wash my hair, but apart from that I'm alright. Do you want to talk later on about what happened?"

"Yes Leah, but not just yet. I need to speak to Victoria first about what's happening in the department and who's taking over from Jacob. Is she in yet?"

"Yes, she came in about half an hour ago."

Emily came over with a cup of coffee for Bella then gave her a hug. "Any time you want to talk, you know where I am."

"Thanks Emily, you're a star." Bella said gratefully. Emily was a Criminal Psychologist first but a shoulder to cry on second. When the job got too much, Emily's office was always her place of sanctuary where she would go to let off steam, or to raid Emily's emergency drawer that was full of candy and Oreos and occasionally a bottle of un-chilled Pinot.

Bella walked into her lab which had remained untouched since she stumbled out two weeks ago with Victoria's arm around her shoulders. The cleaners had been in, but labelled boxes of evidence were still on her bench alongside the tools of her trade. She had no idea whether crimes had been solved, suspects apprehended, cases closed and of course anything new that had happened out there on the streets of Seattle during her absence which would add to her workload. She sat down on her chair and switched on her computer to see whether she could glean anything from the files.

She played about with her mouse, skipping from file to file, occasionally raising her eyebrow when she learnt something she didn't know already from reading the newspapers. After about half an hour of bringing herself up to date with what had happened in the last two weeks, she noticed Victoria watching her from the doorway and waved for her to come in.

Victoria came over and gave her a kiss on the side of the cheek. "How are you Bella, are you sure you're up to being here?"

"Yes I'm fine Victoria, I just want to find the bastard who killed Jacob and attacked Leah. I'm not helping being stuck at home so here I am."

Victoria sat down next to her and looked at her carefully. Satisfied that Bella wasn't on the verge of cracking up, she grinned at her. "Ok Bella, you've convinced me. I'll bring you up to date on where we are with the serial killer case."

Victoria pulled over a large box file that Bella could see had Jacob's handwriting on the cover. She opened it and pulled out an envelope full of photographs of the bodies of the serial killer's victims. Victoria placed them on the bench in order of when their bodies had been found. The victims were men and women, young and old and varied ethnicities; eight confirmed victims plus two more that were on the way to being credited to this lunatic. The only link between them was that they were taken and therefore were probably murdered after dark.

Jacob had been solely responsible for the forensic examination of evidence but had refused to discuss his findings with Bella which she thought was strange at the time, but she hadn't pressed him for information. Jacob's excuse was that Bella was already overloaded with other work and he wanted her to concentrate on clearing the enormous backlog of cases that had built up through him having to concentrate all his efforts into catching the serial killer. He reported to Victoria who was the ultimate Head of Forensics and she in turn reported to James who was the Assistant Chief of Police, so only those three people plus the Big Chief and one senior detective were fully aware of all the evidence that had been collected to date.

"Right" Victoria said. "Are you sitting comfortably?" Bella nodded at her and smiled grimly – she knew only slightly more than what the general public knew and she was eager to get the complete picture.

"Eight definite victims but possibly two more that are waiting to be confirmed, which means ten that we know about; there may be more, plus Jacob of course. All killed in the last three months, which works out roughly to about one a week. Some of the victims were snatched off the street, a young woman was taken from her bed, a teenager from a garden, one shopkeeper, one car park attendant, just totally random people, what I mean is no pattern that we can think of."

Bella knew all this because of the news reports whenever a new victim was discovered. The residents of Seattle were avoiding going out at night now; theatres and cinemas, restaurants and coffee shops were reporting a downturn in trade after sunset and people were not travelling alone. Tourism was also feeling the pinch but taxi cabs were doing well as were security companies and personal bodyguard agencies for the better off.

Victoria continued. "What you don't know Bella is how they died. We have kept that information tightly under wraps to avoid copycat killers messing up the investigation. The only people who know are The Chief, the Assistant Chief and myself, Seth Clearwater who is the detective leading the case plus Emmett McCarty who has carried out all the autopsies and of course Jacob."

"How did they die? Are you going to tell me now?"

"Yes, I'm going to tell you because you are going to have to take over the forensics from where Jacob left off. I'm sorry that this will increase your workload and I will try to get you some extra help, but there is no-one else available at the moment who has your expertise or could fill Jacob's shoes at such short notice."

Bella looked at Victoria in astonishment. Jacob had seven years more experience than her and even though she had been employed here for nearly four years, she didn't feel she was ready to step into his shoes. She needed time to think this through though so she bit her lip and nodded at Victoria and let her carry on.

"All the victim's necks were snapped though there was no sign of bruising on any of the bodies. They were not sexually interfered with and apart from puncture wounds on their necks there was no sign of injury or any sort of struggle. It wasn't until the first autopsy was performed that Emmett discovered that practically every drop of blood had been drained from the victim and it was the same for all the subsequent victims, apart from the latest ones, victims nine and ten, where some blood had been left in their bodies."

Bella was completely stunned by this revelation. She had anticipated that the killer was some sort of sexual deviant and he or she had done something weird to all of the victims, she didn't expect this at all.

"Yes, we were shocked too" Victoria said as she read Bella's face. "We still haven't worked out how the killer managed to do it without getting blood on the victims or causing any visible trauma."

Bella looked at the pictures of the victims lying in various positions on the ground at the places where they had been found. She had seen versions of this type of picture before and they didn't shock her now, but the one thing that struck her with this group was that each face looked peaceful, as though the victim was asleep, not dead.

"So we're looking for a vampire then" Bella said and laughed grimly.

"Well yes" Victoria responded. "Of course vampires aren't real but we are genuinely looking for someone who maybe is pretending to be a vampire and has the medical expertise to be able to drain a body of blood without causing any other trauma to the victim. He or she would also have to be an expert in martial arts as well to be able to kill a person so efficiently."

"How far had you got with the investigation?" Bella was intrigued. Where the heck would you start looking? Maybe find out who had been buying vampire outfits on the internet and were fans of Bruce Lee?

"Well Seth and his team have been trying to find out whether there are any records of known psychiatric patients who think they are Dracula, that type of thing, but we have drawn a blank so far. It is difficult to find out that type of information without going public about the type of person we are looking for. The last thing we need is the public panicking that there is a vampire on the loose, the gutter press would have a field-day. The national database has been trawled by colleagues in another state so they don't suspect the search is tied to this case, but apart from a few people who are already locked up, we haven't found anybody who would fit the M.O. Seth's team have only been told that there are bite marks on the victim's necks but not that their bodies have been drained of blood."

Victoria gave Bella a few seconds to take in what she had just told her, then she continued. "We also started investigating fetish clubs to find out whether there were any people who indulged in vampire fantasy role-play but that drew a blank too. I mean there were people who do that sort of thing but they didn't have the physical attributes we were looking for, that means they were usually old, or overweight, or just totally unfit."

Bella couldn't help giggling even though it was entirely inappropriate. Victoria smiled too as they both realised that they were having visions of overweight geriatric people dressed up as vampires spanking each other.

"So we're at a dead end" Victoria said. "Jacob had examined the victims' clothes and skin samples taken from around the puncture wounds, residue under the fingernails, all the usual forensic investigations but found nothing to tie us to any one person. All his notes are on his computer – the passwords are in this file; we have been through them of course but have found nothing that we don't know already.

The scene of crime investigations provided no clues either – no fingerprints or footprints, no tyre marks or evidence left at the scene, absolutely nothing. None of us could work out how the killer managed to capture or dump the bodies without being spotted. We've examined hours of CCTV footage but nothing has been recorded on film. Two of the men who were killed were big, heavy guys and it would have been impossible for one man on his own to move them without dragging them across the ground, but there were no such marks where they disappeared or where they were dumped."

"But Jacob must have found out something Victoria. If he disturbed the killer and then was killed by him, what do you think it was?"

"We don't know. He asked Leah to go on a stake-out with him and also to give him back-up if he needed it. He wouldn't tell her what he suspected, just that he had a hunch. They went to a business park not far from here; Jacob told her to wait in the car while he observed the buildings from the sidewalk; she heard some raised voices and got out of the car to go to his aid and was instantly hit on the back of the head. When she came to, she saw Jacob lying next to her on the ground with a broken neck, exactly like the other victims."

Victoria suddenly remembered that she was talking to Jacob's fiancé, not a colleague. "Sorry" she said realising that she had been insensitive.

Bella smiled at her reassuringly. "That's okay, have you been back to the area since?"

"Yes, and there was nothing there that made us suspicious. All the businesses were legitimate and the employees were just regular people doing their daily routines. We spoke to staff and visitors in all of the buildings and collected their CCTV footage but they weren't able to help. All Leah can remember is looking around as she got out of the car, seeing a flash of light and then coming round next to Jacob."

"So you've been through the file and there is nothing to indicate why he was suspicious about any of the businesses there?"

"No, our last hope was that he had spoken confidentially to you, but he obviously hadn't."

Bella shook her head. "He didn't talk to me about it at all; we tried not to talk about work at home."

Victoria closed the file and pushed it towards Bella. "Have a read of this and look at the stuff on the computer as soon as possible, there may be something in there that might trigger a memory of a conversation you had with Jacob."

"Okay, I'll start going through it today. Does this take priority?"

"Yes, but you'll still have to keep up with the normal day-to-day stuff until we find a replacement with as much experience as Jacob."

"Great!" Bella responded slightly sarcastically. "Everyone's been telling me I need to keep busy!"

Victoria stood up and walked towards the door. She looked back at Bella wondering whether she had placed too much responsibility on her young shoulders. This tiny girl, who weighed not much more than a hundred pounds and still wore her hair in a youthful ponytail, had a mind as sharp as a razor blade and the instincts of a bloodhound. She still lacked experience, but her drive and enthusiasm for the job plus her undoubted scientific skills meant that Victoria was confident that she had made the right decision to hand the responsibility over to her for the moment.

"Report back to me every day Bella but remember, if you need time-out, let me know. It's only two weeks since we lost Jacob and no-one is expecting you to be super-human."

"Okay Boss" Bella replied and gestured for her to leave the room. She needed to think about the implications of taking over from Jacob on such a high-profile case. It wasn't just the collection of evidence that was bothering her, it would mean that she would have to stand up in court when a suspect was eventually apprehended and charged, and speaking under cross-examination was something she found difficult to do.

She made herself another cup of coffee, opened the file and started reading about victim number one who was a middle-aged, married father of two who had been travelling home from work in the city to one of the outer suburbs. Witnesses saw him getting on the Streetcar near his office and one witness remembers him getting off at his usual stop. He disappeared while walking less than quarter of a mile to his home and his body was eventually found in bushes in a children's park less than a mile away. Extensive enquiries had been made but no motive was evident; this man had led an unremarkable life that had ended swiftly and brutally.

Six more cups of coffee and eight hours later, Bella looked up from the computer and noticed it was getting dark outside. She had read the entire contents of the box file and examined each photograph plus every autopsy report and all of Jacob's notes on the computer. Now she knew everything that Victoria, Seth and James knew but like them had no clues as to who could be responsible. She switched her screen off and pulled her coat on then walked through the deserted lab to the elevator that would take her down to the underground car park. After what Victoria had told her she was glad that she didn't have to go out on the street alone tonight. She was tempted to call Angela but her eyes were tired from hours of reading and she wanted to get home to her bed and her cat.

She made a brief stop at the supermarket on the way home which was unusually quiet for that time of night. Also she noticed that the shop had acquired a security guard who was standing by the doorway looking out and down the street rather than watching the customers which was normally the case. Seattle had caught a serious case of the jitters.

Molly the cat welcomed her as she opened the door to her ground floor apartment. She carried her shopping into the kitchen trying to stay upright while Molly weaved in and out of her legs. "Okay, okay, dinner's coming" she said to Molly who jumped straight onto the counter purring loudly. "Lucky Jacob's not here" she said to Molly as she wagged her finger at the totally clueless cat and then she realised what she had said. "Oh God" she muttered to herself under her breath and gave Molly a hug.

After the cat was fed and watered and she had put the shopping away she placed an instant dinner in the microwave then wandered into her bedroom to get into her pyjamas. All of Jacob's clothes and possessions were still in the cupboards as they were the day he walked out as she hadn't had the inclination to go through them yet. She intended giving all his decent stuff to Billy to distribute as he wished and she resolved to do this over the weekend. Maybe she could ask Angela to help she thought.

She heard a 'ping' so went back to the kitchen and got her chicken and pasta out of the microwave and put the plastic carton on a tray. She got a bottle of beer from the fridge, went into the living room and sat on the sofa. As she was eating her meal while watching the Mariners game on TV she realised with horror that she had just turned into her father as she guessed that right now he would be in his living room, sitting on the sofa, eating pizza or a microwave meal, watching sport and drinking beer. Even though he had married Sue he hadn't changed his habits, especially when Sue was working a late shift at the hospital. "Holy Hell" she thought to herself and then laughed at the irony.

She felt the urge to call Charlie but thought better of it; she used to call him about once a week before Jacob died and she didn't want him to think she wasn't coping. She would have liked to talk to him about the case but she knew she couldn't and at the moment she didn't really have anything else to talk to him about. She turned the TV off and rubbed her eyes – she was tired from staring at her computer screen all day so she made her way to the bathroom to brush her teeth and then went to bed.

She lay in the big double bed staring at the ceiling. She knew every crack and every paint blemish on that ceiling from the nights of missionary sex she had endured with Jacob, followed by the hours of sleepless frustration listening to Jacob snoring contentedly beside her while all she wanted to do was scream. She knew now that she should never have agreed to marry him in the first place and she felt guilty that she had in fact wasted his time, but apart from Angela, no-one knew that she had broken the engagement that night so at least his family was in blissful ignorance of her treachery.

She fell asleep eventually with Molly curled up beside her, dreaming of the boy who kissed her so passionately nearly ten years ago, but this time the boy was a vampire.


	6. CSI Seattle - 6

**CHAPTER SIX**

The next day Bella spent the morning in the lab examining fibres from the jacket of one of the two suspected victims of the serial killer. This young man had been walking home from a night out with friends in a club and had disappeared in an instant while walking near the water's edge. His friends thought he had fallen into the Sound, even though they hadn't heard a splash, because he had vanished so quickly. One second he was there the next second he was gone. His body showed up two days later hidden in the lifeboat of a luxury yacht moored in one of the marinas, but this time only a relatively small amount of his blood was missing. Emmett had tested samples of his remaining blood and interestingly discovered the victim suffered from Haemophilia which was then confirmed by his medical records.

Bella extracted several foreign fibres from the jacket plus quite a few strands of long blonde hair that was not the victim's. She catalogued every item carefully and re-bagged the jacket in a sterile cover. As she was clearing her bench, Victoria called her name and beckoned her to come into her office; she was talking on the phone and writing down notes on a piece of paper. Victoria's office had four glass walls so that she could see what was going on around her and Bella could see Quil and Leah grinning at her when she approached Victoria's desk.

Victoria gestured for Bella to sit down while she finished the conversation. "Okay, thanks for the information; I'll get someone out there to take a look. Yes, as soon as possible, Okay goodbye."

Bella looked at Victoria expectantly. "What's up?"

"We've just had a call from the police department in Forks. That's your neck of the woods isn't it?"

"Yes, what's happened – not another murder?"

"We don't know. A couple of hikers have found an arm. The local boys have been up to take a look at it but they don't want to move it because they think someone should come down and examine the scene while it's still in situ."

"Have they started looking for the rest of the body?" Bella asked.

"Yes, they've got a helicopter up now with heat sensors scanning the ground, but no joy yet."

"Do you want me to go?"

"Yes and take Quil with you. I don't want Leah flying until her head is better and Quil is good at ground work. Is your Dad still Chief out there?"

"Yes, I'll call him and get some more information. How are we going to get there?"

"Forks Police are sending another helicopter, probably one from the National Park Rangers – they'll be here in half an hour. Get your equipment together and get up on the roof."

Bella left the office and walked round to Quil's desk. "Get your stuff ready, we're going up to Forks, some hikers have found an arm so we may be there for a while."

An hour later Bella and Quil were flying over the Olympic National Park heading westwards towards the forest surrounding Forks. From above the landscape below was stunning and Bella felt proud that she lived in this beautiful part of the United States. Okay it rained a lot, but the vegetation was lush, the wildlife was healthy, the waters were cold and clean and when the sun shone the air in the region was crystal clear. It was a beautiful day and Bella felt more alive than she had done for months and she was anxious to get out in the field to do some proper investigative work.

The pilot brought the helicopter into a low hover then gently placed it on the ground in a small clearing in the forest. Bella clambered out of the cockpit with as much grace as possible and was met by Charlie who had been waiting for her to land. He walked over and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, much to the surprise of Quil who had not connected until then that the Chief of Police was Bella's father. When they were introduced by an amused Bella, Charlie immediately picked up that Quil was a Native American from the Quileute tribe local to Forks and they bonded instantly as they knew many of the same people, including Sue, Charlie's wife.

They walked about a quarter of a mile to the site where the arm was situated. Bella had requested that the helicopter land far away just in case the downdraft disturbed any vital pieces of evidence. It was warm and Bella soon started feeling puffed out as she was carrying bags of equipment plus she was still tired through lack of sleep over the previous two weeks. She was relishing feeling grass under her feet again though and the smell of the trees and the softness of the air brought back memories of the two years she spent here, especially the times she used to disappear into the forest on her own with just a backpack and a good book.

They reached the clearing and Bella could see that a small tent had been erected on the far side. There were three people sitting on the ground, obviously waiting for their arrival and once they spotted them approaching, they got up to greet them.

Quil and Bella were introduced to Tom Bailey and his wife Mary and also to Sergeant Forge, Charlie's colleague, who everyone knew as Waylon. After they had piled all their equipment up next to the tent, Bella went in on her own while Quil spoke to Tom and his wife to get their contact details before looking for other body parts in the general area with Charlie and Waylon.

She went inside the tent and got her first look at the arm which was lying with the hand facing downwards. The fingers were splayed outwards and the nails were digging into the grass. The skin was very pale, almost white, with no freckles or other blemishes that she could see. The fingers were long and the nails were in very good condition, in fact they looked as though they had been manicured. The arm was almost completely covered in the sleeve of a man's jacket which was dark brown leather, underneath which were remnants of a long sleeved grey t-shirt.

Her eyes moved along to the top of the limb to where it would have been joined to the rest of the body; she couldn't see the inside of the arm as that part was obscured by a tuft of long grass but she was surprised that there was no blood staining in the vicinity. She poked her head outside the tent and asked Quil to hand her some gloves and something to flatten the grass so she could have a good look at the bones and internal tissue. Quil handed her a box of instruments and gloves and as Bella put them on she knelt down on the ground next to the arm.

She used the instrument box to keep the grass flat and shuffled down onto her side. A piece of skin was flapping over the top of the joint so she selected a pair of long tweezers and carefully secured the piece of skin between the points and pulled it backwards.

"Holy Shit" she yelled and jumped up onto her feet and took a step backwards, colliding with the wall of the tent.

Quil stuck his head through the tent flaps. "What's up Bella?"

"Spider" she said. Don't worry Quil, it's dead."

"Oh okay" Quil chuckled and went back to talking to Tom and his wife.

Bella sat down on the floor before her legs gave way and looked again at what she had just seen; where there should have been bone, tissue, muscle and veins, instead there was just a hard off-white substance that on first sight looked like pumice stone. It wasn't completely solid, there was an artery of some description running through the middle of the arm, but what she expected to be there was definitely not there and she was shocked.

The skin looked real; the texture was right and the nails had the same shine as her own nails. The knuckles were slightly wrinkled and she noticed for the first time that there were marks on the third finger to show that the person had once worn a ring. This was weird she thought.

She moved the skin again and took a closer look at the stone-like substance to see whether she recognised it as man-made. She was thinking that this may be a prank; that someone may have covered a sculpture with real skin just for a joke, but she soon dismissed this idea as there were no joins in the skin that she could see.

She sat cross-legged on the ground and contemplated what to do next. For some reason she didn't want Tom and his wife to know what they had discovered but she wanted to question them before they left. She stood up and left the tent but not before giving the arm another look to confirm that she hadn't been seeing things.

She took off her gloves and walked over to where Tom was standing with his wife and shook their hands. Quil had walked off and she could see him on the edge of the trees looking at the ground for more bits of the body. "Hi" she said, "must have been a bit of a shock for you?"

"Yes" Tom replied. "It's not every day you find something like that in the forest."

"How did you spot it?"

"Well, we had just sat down over there to have a drink when my wife spotted something moving in the grass. I got up to take a look thinking it was an animal and saw the arm."

"I'm sorry; did you say you saw something moving?"

"Yes, that's what I told 911 when I phoned from up there." Tom pointed to the nearby hill. "I told them that both my wife and I saw the arm moving."

"Do you mean twitching?"

"No, the fingers moved and it was almost like it was trying to drag itself along the ground. It only moved slightly, but I definitely saw it move and so did my wife."

"Okay Tom, have you told anyone else what you saw?"

"Nope, just 911, you and Chief Swan, who thinks we probably disturbed a small animal trying to make a meal of it, but we are sure we saw it move on its own. Chief Swan secured the area and called you guys to take over. He also called for a helicopter to look for the other parts of the body."

"One more thing Tom, did you notice any flies near the arm?"

"No, definitely no flies."

"Fine, let's keep all this between us for the moment. If you've given your contact details to my colleague we'll be in touch when we find out more. If it's okay with Charlie, sorry I mean Chief Swan, you can carry on with your hike and thanks for your co-operation."

Bella walked over to where Quil was examining the ground and asked to see his notes. He had only recorded their names, addresses and other contact details but hadn't questioned Tom or his wife about the find and Bella was relieved. She wanted this discovery contained until she spoke to Victoria – maybe she had discovered the arm of an alien species and would be forced to sign the Official Secrets Act or something like that. Whatever, she was in charge at the moment and she was going to get every bit of evidence recorded as quickly as possible.

She went over to her pile of equipment and picked up a large evidence box that looked as though it was big enough for the arm. Donning a fresh pair of gloves, she walked back into the tent and set the box on the floor. She had left the tweezers next to the hand when she left the tent, but when she went to pick them up, one finger was resting on the top of them and she knew damn well that she hadn't left them like that. "Holy Crap" she thought as the realisation hit her that what Tom had just told her may actually be true. "This can't be happening can it" she said aloud.

She opened up the evidence box and checked inside to make sure it was absolutely sterile. Taking a deep breath she moved over to the arm and with gloved hands she picked it up, only touching the material of the leather jacket. She was amazed how light the arm was; she was expecting it to be heavy like marble but there was hardly any weight in it at all, so in one quick move she dropped the arm into the box and shut the lid tightly then sealed the edges with tape.

"Phew" she said out loud and took a long drink out of her water bottle. She examined the grass where the arm had been laying and there was nothing out of the ordinary to see.

Charlie and Waylon had been searching the general area but apart from a patch of grass on the opposite side of the clearing that was burnt from either a BBQ or camp fire, there was nothing extraordinary to see in the clearing and nothing to explain why a 'human' arm was out here in the middle of nowhere.

Satisfied there was nothing more to discover, Bella called Quil over and said they needed to get back to the lab with the evidence quickly so they could get it into cold storage. It was a very warm day and Bella was surprised that the arm was not starting to smell which was probably why no flies had been attracted to it. Whatever substance was inside the arm, the outside was definitely human skin and thankfully it was showing no sign of deterioration, yet. Charlie and Waylon helped them carry all their equipment back to the helicopter and after Charlie kissed Bella goodbye and promised to let them know if the heat-seeking helicopter found any more body parts, they were soon on their way back to Seattle.

Victoria had left the lab by the time they got back and Bella was grateful that she could postpone any interrogations until tomorrow which would give her time to think. She had managed to deflect Quil's questions in the helicopter by saying that she wanted to examine the arm in controlled conditions, not on a hot, bug infested field, but she hadn't prepared in her head what she was going to say to Victoria.

Bella was fascinated by the arm and knew others would be too. She guessed that if she declared what she had found immediately it would be taken out of her hands and she may never find out where it had come from. The scientist in her coupled with a bit of professional curiosity wanted to keep this discovery to herself for the moment and see what she could find out on her own. She wasn't following protocol, but with the Department so involved in finding the serial killer she had a good excuse not to throw this particular puzzle into the ring.

She carried the evidence box down to the cold storage room, labelled it and placed it in a lockable drawer. She took the key and slipped it onto her key ring, which was also against protocol as the keys were supposed to be kept in a locked cabinet, but she didn't want anyone interfering with this evidence without her knowledge. She carried on questioning herself why she was not following procedure but couldn't give herself a plausible answer; she just wanted to keep this a secret for a few days or maybe until the rest of the body showed up.

She went back up to her lab and put the instruments she had used in the steriliser, then packed up to go home. It was already six o'clock and Angela was coming round this evening to get her started with Jacob's stuff. She had planned to leave this job until the weekend, but Angela had convinced her that she should do it straight away and they would keep at it every evening until it was done.

Bella and Angela had both been accepted to study in Seattle and they had spent three happy years together living in a shared apartment. She thought she knew Angela before she left Forks, thinking that she was a quiet, reserved girl who loved her family and rarely made waves, but as soon as she left for college, Angela's attitude to life changed and Bella soon realised they were total opposites in absolutely everything, clothes, music, food, social life, love life, attitude to studying – you name it, they were poles apart, but their friendship developed further and a strong bond of love and trust was built up over the following three years.

As Bella was driving home, she smiled when she thought of all the escapades Angela had dragged her into when she was at college and how much richer her life had been because of their friendship. Whenever she needed her she was there, and now she was going to help her do the difficult and painful job this evening she had been dreading. Thank God for Angela she thought.

She pulled up outside her apartment and Angela was already there waiting for her carrying what looked like a Chinese takeaway in a plastic bag. "Food first" she chirped. Bella had been introduced by Angela to the delights of Chinese food at college, along with Indian, Vietnamese, Japanese, Mexican and every other nation that had a restaurant in Seattle. Before she left Forks, the most exotic thing Bella had eaten was pizza and chilli.

"Great" she said genuinely as she was really hungry and they hugged each other before Bella opened her apartment door where Molly was waiting for her.

After demolishing the food and a bottle of wine that was Dutch courage for Bella, they got started in Jacob's wardrobe. They put his clothes into different piles, rubbish bin for worn out t-shirts plus all his underwear; clothes bank for older but still wearable garments and they bagged up all his good stuff for Billy to either give away to friends or relatives or to go to charity shops. At the bottom of his wardrobe were several sports bags and backpacks that they dragged out and emptied onto the floor. More stuff went into the rubbish bin including old trainers and sweat bands, but all his good quality branded stuff, squash racquets and other items were also put aside for Billy as Bella was sure they would find a good home with some of the teenagers in the family.

One of the last bags to be sorted was a small backpack that Jacob sometimes took to work with him, so Bella carefully opened it to see what was in there. She pulled out a bundle of pens and a small digital camera, plus there were a few notepads right at the bottom. In a side pocket were some plain CDs or DVDs that were numbered and she wondered what they were. While Angela was starting on Jacob's chest of drawers, she took the notebooks over to where the light was better and opened the first one.

Inside the first notebook was a list of all the serial killer's victims, where they were found and which shops and business in the area had CCTV cameras. Jacob had obviously been concentrating on trying to spot this guy on camera rather than catch him through scientific evidence, so she made a mental note to talk to Leah about this tomorrow as she specialised in CCTV images.

Bella had always thought it was strange that Jacob had left the lab to go out in the field, as stake outs were normally carried out by detectives not forensics, but since Jacob died she had been meaning to find out why he had been watching a building with Leah – it wasn't his job to do this. She put the notepads and discs back in the bag and carried on helping Angela, but still thinking that at least she had something to work on now when she got back to the lab tomorrow.

By midnight the job was mostly done and as it was too late for Angela to go home, she borrowed a pair of Bella's pyjamas and they both climbed into bed together, not for the first time. They talked until at least one in the morning about the past and the future and Bella cried again, but eventually they fell asleep with Molly wedged in between the two of them.

When they awoke the next morning the TV news was reporting that the decomposed body of young man had been discovered in the Olympic National Park and Bella's first thought was whether it was missing any arms!

She got ready for work that morning with the sure and certain knowledge that she had a long day ahead of her.


	7. CSI Seattle 7

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

When Bella arrived at the lab Quil told her that the corpse of a young man had been found in the National Park by the heat-seeking helicopter that was looking for the rest of the 'arm-less' body. It had been located on the edge of dense woodland about five miles from where they were yesterday and was quite badly decomposed and they had guessed it had been lying in the open for nearly two weeks, but disappointingly the victim had both arms. The body was now in the autopsy room waiting for Emmett to arrive and Bella hoped he would be able to confirm fairly quickly whether or not this was victim number eleven.

After depositing her bag and jacket in her lab, Bella went in to see Victoria carrying the contents of Jacob's backpack. Victoria had just hung up the phone and was sitting at her desk with her head in her hands looking despondent. Bella turned straight around and came back a minute later with a very strong coffee which she placed in front of her without speaking.

"I've just had my ear bitten off by James" Victoria explained, "who has just had his ear bitten off by the Mayor, who has probably just had his ear bitten off by the Governor and so on, because we are still at a dead end and the new unconfirmed victim has only made the situation worse. I'm sure Seth has received a similar call this morning from his boss."

Bella explained what she had found in the backpack and Victoria perked up a bit and told her to examine the DVDs as a priority, just in case there was some new evidence on any of them. As Victoria didn't mention the arm, Bella backed out of the room leaving Victoria looking as though she was chewing on nails.

She was desperate to look at the arm again but the serial killer case took priority so she took the discs over to Leah who inserted them one after the other into her laptop to see what they contained. Each DVD contained images taken on several CCTV cameras that were located near to where the eighth victim was snatched and where he was found. The eighth victim was a business man who had disappeared almost immediately after leaving his office which was on the same street where Jacob was murdered. Bella and Leah had a quick look at the footage on each DVD but they realised that it would take hours to go through them all and frankly they didn't have the time at the moment. Bella said she would take Jacob's notes home tonight and read them again, cover to cover and come back tomorrow if anything struck a chord.

She thanked Leah for her help and went down to see Emmett in the autopsy room. She looked through one of the viewing windows and watched in fascination as Emmett took samples from the body that was lying on the metal table. Usually there was a metal container on the floor which would catch any blood or body fluids that seeped out, but he hadn't bothered this time which was an indication that Bella was probably looking at victim number eleven, if you didn't count Jacob.

She could tell from the clothes that were folded on the counter that the victim had been a hiker. Some sturdy walking boots were in a tagged plastic bag and a large backpack was lying on the floor. It was impossible to tell how old the victim was from that side of the window as his face was badly decomposed, but it was presumed he was the 20 year old geography student who had disappeared while he was on a field trip from the University, as he had been reported missing from an area about twenty miles from where the body was found. As the serial killer had not ventured out of the city, the park rangers had presumed that the missing student had been the victim of a rare animal attack rather than murdered, but now this was obviously not the case. "What a waste" she thought.

While she was watching the autopsy and listening to Emmett who was recording his findings into a microphone hanging above him, she thought again about what to do about the arm. This was way above her level of expertise but she was loathe to ask for help from within the Department as frankly she didn't think there was anybody here qualified enough who could give her the answers she needed anyway. If it was a hoax, then the skin must have come from somewhere as that was definitely real. Maybe this was the route she should go down. Try and find out more about the skin through DNA fingerprinting and genetic testing.

There were no facilities in her laboratory to do that type of work. Skin and hair samples were usually sent to the University for analysis as they had state-of-the-art equipment there, plus a team of highly trained scientists and keen students, of which she used to be one, able and willing to assist the police, plus the University charged the police for this service and so were able to raise money for their labs. She had extracted samples from bodies before, so she collected some specimen jars and dissecting instruments from the store and went down to the cold storage room.

She unlocked and opened the drawer then gingerly pulled out the evidence box and placed it on the lab table. She pulled off the tape and carefully opened the lid inch by inch. She couldn't tell whether the arm had moved or not as she had thrown it in the box and quickly shut the lid, but it wasn't moving now thank heavens.

She opened the specimen jars and placed them in a row. With gloved hands she removed the arm from the box and put it onto the table and looked at it closely. Just under the cuff of the jacket she could see some hair on the arm so she used tweezers to pull out four hairs and their roots and put them in the jar, snapping the lid on tightly. "That's the DNA fingerprinting sorted" she thought to herself.

With a sharp pair of scissors, she carefully cut off a piece of nail from the thumb and placed it in the second jar, snapping it shut. Picking up a scalpel and the tweezers, she moved to the flap of skin that had obviously been torn from the shoulder. Her hands were shaking now and she made several attempts to hold the skin with the tweezers, but her eyes were being drawn to the alien substance that was inside the arm. "Get a grip Bella" she said aloud to herself and grasped the skin with the tweezers and sliced a piece off the size of a segment of an orange. She quickly put the sample in the jar and snapped the lid shut. A bead of sweat ran down her face, even though the temperature in this room was below 50 degrees.

She covered the evidence box with its lid and crossed the room to find the roll of tape that was usually in one of the drawers. While she was opening and shutting several drawers to find the tape "which was never in the same place" she muttered grumpily, she heard a noise and looked up just in time to see the lid of the box slowly opening by itself. She grabbed the tape which was in the bottom drawer then ran across the room and flung herself onto the box. With her teeth she pulled a piece of tape off the roll and secured the lid using one hand, then she felt confident enough to let go. Frantically she covered the box with every bit of tape that was left on the roll then she picked the box up and dropped it into the drawer, slamming it shut and locking it. Picking up the jars she walked quickly out of the room and back to her lab where she sat down and took a long deep breath.

"Jesus" she said out loud. "I'm in the middle of a fucking horror film" she said, hoping no-one overheard her. She very rarely swore but sometimes the F word was the only one that was appropriate for the circumstance.

She made herself a strong coffee and drank it slowly while she regained her composure. She had seen the arm move now with her own eyes so it definitely wasn't a hoax - she was in possession of something quite extraordinary and she had to make a decision as to what her next move should be. She had decided last night that if Victoria questioned her about the arm she would tell her that she presumed it was a prank - that some medical students had covered a false arm with human skin or something like that. Then if the rest of the body turned up and it was found by others to be something else, she would plead ignorance and the matter would be taken out of her hands.

After about ten minutes of mulling over what to do next, she picked the phone up and punched in the number which would take her straight through to the lab at the University. After about three rings the phone was answered by Rosalie Hale, who Bella knew well from when she was a student there.

"Hi Bella, how are you" she said after Bella identified herself. "Have you got a job for us?"

"Yes, it's a bit of a special one that needs doing quickly. Can you help out?"

"We'll do our best Bella but we have one guy off sick, one girl on Maternity Leave, plus we've got a visitation from some bigwigs out East who want to see what we are doing over here, so it's a bit chaotic at the moment."

"Okay, but can you just mark it urgent then and let me know when it is done. I'll bring it over personally. It's just the normal DNA test on nails, hair and skin."

"Is it to do with the serial killer?"

"No nothing to do with that, just an interesting body part that we have to identify"

"Eww – sounds gross"

"Just a normal everyday occurrence at CSI Seattle" Bella chuckled. "If only they knew" she thought.

"Okay, bring them over and we'll do our best."

"Thanks Rosalie, see you shortly."

Bella grabbed her jacket and told Quil that she was taking some samples over to the University and as she was on official business she jumped in a cab. The traffic was light and she was soon outside the campus that she knew like the back of her hand. She walked into the main reception and after signing in at the desk, made her way up to the labs where she had spent many happy days doing exactly these type of investigations. Her own lab couldn't afford the latest equipment, but as the scientific campus was so close, it wasn't too much of an inconvenience to come here.

She put a white coat and gloves on before she went in the lab and saw Rosalie waving frantically at her. She went in carrying the samples and walked over to Rosalie's bench.

"What's the matter?" Bella asked.

"The visitors from the East Coast have just been in and one of them was absolutely gorgeous. Usually they are geeky, boring types but this guy was just amazing, the most beautiful eyes ever, oh wow!"

Bella giggled. Rosalie was gorgeous herself and most men's tongues normally hit the floor when they saw her. She knew Emmett had the hots for her as lately he was making up all sorts of feeble excuses to go over to the labs, but Rosalie hadn't given in to his charms as yet.

"Where are they now" Bella asked, interested to see this guy so she could see what Rosalie's type was. If he was nothing like Emmett, she would tell him to start looking elsewhere.

"I don't know, they are being given a tour of the labs and are talking to various people so they could be anywhere."

"Oh well, never mind. Try and get a picture of him on your phone if you can."

Rosalie chuckled and started searching in her bag for her I-Phone, wondering whether it had a zoom on the camera.

"Here are the samples and the paperwork" Bella said and handed them to Rosalie. "Let me know when you get the results."

"Okay will do, but it might be a few days."

"That's fine, I'm really busy myself. Well good luck with Professor Sexy then."

Rosalie laughed as she picked up the samples and put them in the specimen fridge until they were needed.

Bella walked out of the lab and took off her white coat not knowing that behind her the visitors were entering the lab from another door. She turned and waved to Rosalie then opened the outer door into the corridor and walked towards the elevator. She pushed the call button and after a few seconds the doors opened and as they slowly closed she thought she heard a man's voice call out her name, but maybe she didn't. Anyway she needed to get back to the lab straight away as she had another progress meeting with Victoria at four so she walked quickly onto the street, hailed a cab and was soon on her way back to the lab.

* * *

Edward hadn't been to Seattle for years. His father had moved to the East coast shortly after he started at Yale and his mother was living in a nursing home not far from where he lived. He was now working for his uncle, the Nobel Prize Winning scientist Anthony Masen, whose work in mapping the human genome had won him the ultimate scientific prize in 2003. He had taken Edward with him to Sweden to collect his award as he hoped that Edward would follow him into this field of research and he had been successful in planting the seed that led to Edward doing just that.

He had no children of his own as he had never married, being totally obsessed with his work, so Edward was his golden boy; fortunately Edward had been happy to treat Anthony like a second father when he started at Yale and their relationship had grown into one of mutual respect as well as love. Edward's middle name was Anthony because Carlisle presumed correctly that his brother would never produce offspring, so the common name strengthened the bond between Edward and his uncle. Their own father had been called Anthony Carlisle Masen after the place in England where he was raised, but when Edward was born Carlisle was insistent his son was not going to take his name as he hated it.

Edward had always kept quiet about his uncle's achievements when he was at school. He had been given special permission to have leave to attend the ceremony in Sweden, but apart from the School Principal no-one in Forks knew that he was related to the man whose achievements were headline news in America. His father had bought him the Italian suit he wore to the Prom for the ceremony in Stockholm and Edward had revelled in the occasion, especially being introduced to the Swedish Royal Family.

The main reason he kept his relationship to Anthony Masen quiet was that back then in 2003 any research on the human genome and stem cells was frowned upon by religious groups, therefore both Carlisle and Anthony considered it prudent for Edward's association with his uncle and his research to remain a secret in case the family suffered any backlash from anybody in the community who held strong views.

Edward had excelled at University, which was hardly surprising considering the support and encouragement he had from Anthony and his father. He had taken a medical degree alongside his scientific studies and for his PhD research had been part of a team who had discovered several genes that caused serious congenital conditions. He was one of the youngest scientists ever to be invited to London to lecture at the Royal Society of Medicine on genetics or gene therapy as it was becoming known and because of his youth and enthusiasm, he was widely considered to be the person who could convince the still sceptical members of the profession that this was the way medicine was heading.

Edward and some of his colleagues had been invited to Seattle University to see the research their students were carrying out and also to raise the profile of the University. They had sat in on some of the lectures and Edward was happy to take part in a question and answer session with some of the faculty's high-flyers. They were now having a tour of the labs, talking to the staff and students about the work they were currently doing.

They were back-tracking through Rosalie's lab when Edward spotted a girl leaving through the door at the far end of the lab. She looked familiar and all of a sudden he felt a thrill go through his body when he realised in an instant it could be Bella. He walked quickly over to Rosalie, who had been struggling to work out how to use the camera on her I-Phone and she looked up in anticipation as the object of her desire was heading towards her.

"Excuse me, who was that girl who just left the lab? I think I know her."

"That's Bella Swan, she just dropped some samples ..."

Edward sprinted out of the door and ran down the corridor just in time to see the elevator doors starting to close and the digital display indicating it was travelling downwards and he knew he had just missed her. "Bella, stop" he shouted as the door closed completely, but it was too late.

He saw a sign to the stairs and flung the door open, crashing it against the door stop and started running down them two at a time, but when he reached the ground floor level he looked around and she was nowhere to be seen. He ran out of the main entrance and headed for the parking lot, but no luck there so defeated he walked back into the building and took the elevator up to where he had started.

His group had moved on from the lab but he went back in search of Rosalie to find out why Bella was there and if she worked at the University.

Rosalie was still sitting at her bench wondering what the hell had just happened when she saw Edward coming through the door.

"They've all left" she said but she was actually hoping he had come back to see her.

"I know, I'll catch them up. Can you tell me why Bella was here? I used to go to high school with her ten years ago and I would have liked to see her again."

"Sure, she works for the Seattle police in their forensics department. She just dropped off some urgent samples for us to examine, but we are so short of staff at the moment we won't be able to do them for a few days. I think she was heading back to her lab."

"Thanks... umm.. Rosalie" Edward said, looking at her name badge. I will try and catch up with her while I'm here."

Edward was disappointed that he didn't have the time to contact her now because he was due to have dinner with the Dean and Faculty and it would have been rude of him not to turn up, but he had an idea. He had already arranged to stay on for a couple of extra days in Seattle while the others flew back East as he had planned to do some sailing, but that could wait; he had something more important to do now. But then he stopped to think carefully for a moment as it occurred to him that maybe it might not be such a good idea to revisit the past.

A lot had happened to him in the past ten years but the memory of that evening of enlightenment and testosterone-fuelled passion still kept him awake at night wondering; wondering whether Bella Swan would still have the power to ignite the latent flame in his belly. Could he walk away again from her for the second time in ten years? This girl Rosalie knew his name now and would relate to Bella that he had chased after her, so that fact alone made his mind up. He would have to see Bella tomorrow somehow and he wondered then how much she had changed since his cowardly exit from her life and also whether she would forgive him.

He laughed to himself as he was presuming she would remember him after all this time, especially as she hadn't tried to contact him after the Prom, probably because she thought he didn't have any balls. He snapped out of his thoughts and said goodbye to Rosalie who had been staring at him with wide eyes, then walked slowly back to join his colleagues who were talking to another group of scientists.

But Edward's attention was elsewhere throughout the rest of the afternoon and all through the tedious dinner, as his mind kept straying back to that passionate night in Forks ten years ago when a fire inside of him was ignited. Even though he just made out with Bella for a brief half an hour, he knew that he left his house that night as a boy but came back from the Prom as a man.


	8. CSI Seattle 8

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

Edward spent a tedious evening in the company of the Dean and his academic staff but managed to have a quick chat with the woman who was in charge of Rosalie's lab. He explained to her that the sailing trip he had planned for the following day had been cancelled at the last minute and as he had some free time he was happy to help out in Rosalie's lab as she had told him how short staffed they were. After convincing her that he genuinely did want to help them out as he had a bit of time to kill and he was not the latest in the line of men who were interested in Rosalie's chest, she agreed that Edward could help clear the backlog. He knew he could have just walked into Bella's building and asked to see her, but he thought that if he helped her out by rushing her tests through she might find it easier to forgive him for his cowardly exit ten years ago.

Early next morning Edward turned up at the University and after saying good morning to Rosalie's boss, donned a white coat and strolled into the lab and asked Rosalie to direct him to a spare bench. She just happened to have one directly opposite her and when her chin had separated itself from her chest, she showed him the list of work that needed doing. After carrying out some basic tests on samples that had been sent down from a local private hospital which took most of the morning, Edward went to the fridge and took out Bella's specimen jars. He asked Rosalie for the notes that had come with them and he settled down to read what Bella had written.

Bella wanted to know as much as possible about the person whose samples these were. Basically she needed a DNA fingerprint plus a Bio-Geographical Ancestry Test which would show her where this person was from, plus any medical data that could be gleaned from the samples. Edward undid the top of the first jar and extracted one of the hairs and put it under a microscope. It was an unremarkable strand of Caucasian hair but he put it into a Petri dish and added some solution then put it to one side as he would do the DNA fingerprint test on this later. He did the same thing with the nail, totally unremarkable as well. He put that into another Petri dish and then turned to the final jar containing the piece of skin.

He held the jar up to the light and looked at the sample of skin that was lying on the bottom of the jar. Bella had cut off quite a chunk even though just a tiny piece was all that was needed for this type of investigation and he grinned at the thought of Bella slicing through human flesh. He pulled the piece of skin out of the jar with a pair of tweezers and placed it on a slide of glass ready to go under the microscope, however it was obviously too big, so he asked Rosalie for a scalpel. As he leaned over the bench to get the scalpel he saw the piece of skin slide off the glass. "Damn it" he said, thinking that he had caught it with his coat. He picked up the piece of skin again and he felt a bit of resistance on the tweezers. "That's odd" he thought, but he placed the skin on the glass and sliced off a thin sample then put that between two pieces of glass ready to go under the microscope.

He slid the glass in place and smiled at Rosalie as he put his eye to the eyepiece. He looked for a few seconds and then pulled back and rubbed his eyes and went back to take another look. He made a few adjustments to the screws and looked again. If Rosalie had been watching him she would have seen his eyes widen for a second and then he sprung back away from the bench, knocking his stool over with a crash. Rosalie jumped up with shock, knocking over her microscope and scattering Petri dishes and test tubes onto the floor. "Shit, what the fuck happened" she said then put her hand over her mouth in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry Rosalie, a sharp pain shot through my eye. I'm really sorry to have startled you" he said, "I'll help you clear up in a moment."

Edward had just seen something on the slide that made his heart skip a beat and he didn't know what to make of it. He looked down at the bench where he had left the main piece of skin he had taken the sample from but it wasn't where he left it, it was now sliding towards the edge of the bench. He picked up a pair of tweezers and caught it between the points, then dropped it into the jar and secured it. He did the same with the hair and the nail, putting covers on the Petri dishes, and then he removed the skin sample from the microscope and put that in a covered Petri dish with some solution.

He then went round to help Rosalie, but it was clear that some of her experiments were contaminated. "I'll take the can for this Rosalie, don't worry" he said. When everything was cleared up and after a thorough examination they had ascertained that her microscope had survived the crash, he cleared up his bench and put Bella's samples into a box.

"Rosalie I've got to go, I'm going to take these samples back to Bella because I would like to get her permission to let me examine them back at my own lab. I think I could get the results back to her quicker with my equipment than yours."

"Okay Dr. Masen, thanks for your help today" Rosalie responded sadly; she had enjoyed his company and had managed to get a few sneaky pictures of him when he wasn't looking. including one of his butt when he bent over to pick up some of her broken equipment.

Edward left the building and jumped in a cab giving the driver the address of Bella's lab which was on the paperwork. He didn't know whether she would be there or how he was going to get in to see her but it was vital that he saw her today.

The cab dropped him off and he walked into the main entrance. He went up to the receptionist and gave her one of his smiles that he knew from experience had the power to make women go weak at the knees.

"I'm here to bring back some samples for Bella Swan. I'm from the University; I have Bella's worksheet here." He waved the sheet in front of the woman as evidence.

"Thank you, if you leave them here I'll get someone to take them up."

"They've got to go straight into a cold store, I'll take them. Also I need to discuss the results with her."

"Okay Sir, I'll call her and get her to come down."

Edward stood there tapping his fingers on the desk while the receptionist called the lab but there was no answer.

"Alright, take them up, third floor turn left."

Edward took a visitors badge and made his way to the elevators. He could feel his heart rate increasing but he didn't know if it was because he may be seeing Bella again, or because of what he had just seen with his own eyes, or whether it was a combination of both. Whatever, he could hear the thud of his heart in his ears and he was also starting to sweat.

* * *

Bella had just got back to her desk after a visit to the ladies room and had just opened up one of Jacob's notebooks. She heard the elevator go 'ping' so she looked up to see who was coming in. Through the glass she could see a man with a mop of auburn hair talking to Leah who was pointing in her direction. Bella suddenly stopped breathing; she knew that hair, she recognised the posture, her heart started pounding in her chest as she rose to her feet and steadied herself with her hands on her desk. He was coming towards her, it was definitely him. Oh My God.

Edward walked quickly into her office holding her samples out in front of him. "Bella, where did you get these from, quickly, tell me."

"I'll show you, follow me." She jumped out of her chair and grabbed her keys. On the way out of the lab she wondered how on earth he had managed to get hold of her samples and more importantly when and how he had been able to examine them, as it was obvious this was not a social call.

They hurried down to the cold storage room and Bella attempted to open the drawer; her hands were shaking so much that she couldn't put the key in the lock so Edward had to take over. He opened the drawer and pulled out the evidence box that was covered in a ridiculous amount of tape.

"What's in here Bella?"

"An arm"

"Is it human?"

"I don't know Edward, I've never seen anything like it before."

"Jesus fucking Christ"

"How did you find out about it?"

"Your samples, I was helping out in the lab and I looked at the skin under the microscope. It's still alive Bella."

"Oh God"

"Can I look at the arm?"

"Yes, but it may still be moving"

"Who knows about this?"

"No-one, just you and me and two hikers"

"Good, then just keep it that way for the moment."

Edward started pulling the tape off the box while Bella went searching for another roll of tape just in case it was needed urgently. By the time she found some, Edward was ready to remove the lid.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes, go for it"

Edward opened the lid and saw the arm lying motionless in the box. He wasn't wearing gloves but he picked the arm up anyway and laid it on the table. Bella pointed to the exposed end and Edward gasped when he saw the stone-like substance under the skin. "Holy Shit" he said, "what the fuck is that?"

"I don't know, I haven't touched it or tried to examine it."

"It looks like stone."

"I know."

"Where did you find it?"

"Near Forks."

"Forks!"

"Yes, would you believe it, sleepy old Forks."

"Have you seen it move?"

"Yes, it tried to get out of the box."

"Fuck!"

"Quite."

"Sorry."

"That's OK, sometimes it's the only word that will do, good heavens just doesn't cover it!"

Edward put his head almost flat on the bench and looked carefully at the stone-like substance and what looked like an artery in the middle of the limb.

"What are you going to do with it Bella, I mean who were you going to show it to and when?" He was amazed that she had kept it secret as he would have had to show it to someone if he had been in her position.

"I don't know Edward, if I knew what it was then maybe that would give me some ideas on who would be the best person to take it to."

"Bella, we need to talk about this. I want to help and I think I possibly can."

"How"

"Shall we talk about it somewhere else?"

"Okay."

Edward picked the arm and the samples up and put them into a new evidence box, as the old one was looking a bit worse for wear. They taped it up and locked the drawer and walked back up to Bella's lab in silence. When they got there Edward grinned at Bella.

"Hi, how are you by the way?"

"Hi Edward, I'm fine, very busy as you can see. Serial killers and alien species are all in a normal days work for me!"

"Can I take you out for a late lunch and we can talk about this away from the lab?"

"Yes, that would be lovely, thanks. I really need someone to talk to."

Bella tidied up the lab, picked up Jacob's notes and put them in her bag then followed Edward out to the elevator. They went down to the underground parking lot and Edward laughed when he saw her car, which wasn't a car but a pick-up truck. "Very useful" she retorted. Nobody dissed her truck.

"At least you know it won't get stolen" Edward chortled and climbed into the passenger seat. The last time he had been in a car with Bella they had been in his father's Mercedes which was at the other end of the vehicle spectrum.

They chose a quiet Italian restaurant that was near to the hotel where Edward was staying. After they ordered, Edward asked Bella about her life since she graduated high school, but she was reluctant to give him too much information, she just said that she had a great time at University, made some nice friends and she was now doing the job she always wanted to do.

Edward told her about his time at Yale and how he enjoyed working with his uncle who he really admired. His father was on the point of retiring from medicine and his mother was still in a nursing home, oblivious to the world around her, not recognising any of her friends or family and unable to do anything for herself. "It's a living death" Edward said and shook his head.

"So how do you think you can help me with the arm? I'm going to have to say something to my boss soon; it's not as if I can ignore it. Luckily Victoria hasn't asked me about it because she is totally focused on trying to find the serial killer. I think she presumes I'm processing and investigating the arm in the normal way. If she asks to see it I'm going to say that I think it's a hoax and plead ignorance."

"Are you involved with that serial killer case as well?"

"Yes, I'm leading the forensic investigation."

"Wow, go Bella!"

"Actually, I've only just taken over. The guy who was leading our team died just over two weeks ago. We think he was murdered by the killer."

"Jesus Bella, is your work always like this?"

"No, just lately. Normally it's just run of the mill stuff, nothing too exciting."

"So is this serial killer a sexual pervert then?"

"I'm not allowed to say Edward, only a few people know exactly how the victims died, we don't want copycats messing up the investigation."

"Oh, okay."

Their meals arrived and the conversation changed to how Charlie was doing and Bella told him that he'd been married to Sue for eight years now. She told Edward that her dad was the first policeman on the scene when the arm was found but he had dismissed the story that it was moving and therefore didn't know that it wasn't just a regular arm, he had just set a tent up over it and waited for CSI to arrive.

After lunch, Bella excused herself to go to the ladies room. Edward stood up when she rose from her chair and Bella smiled at this, remembering thinking that he had attended Charm School when he was a boy.

While she was gone, Edward noticed her work bag was propped up against her chair leg under the table as she had only taken her handbag with her into the ladies room. She had insisted on taking the work bag with her into the restaurant as she couldn't risk leaving it in her truck, even though Edward said nobody would steal it.

He couldn't help himself; his whole life was spent investigating and finding out things so he reached under the table and grabbed the first notepad he put his hands on. Before Bella returned, he'd read the autopsy report of the first victim and he knew then how the victims had died. He was horrified that Bella was involved in this sort of case and wondered what effect it had on her mental state.

When Bella returned she asked Edward again how he could help her with the arm as they had been side-tracked.

"I want to take the samples back to my lab in Connecticut Bella. Do you trust me to show them to my uncle, he is world renowned for his work with genetics and DNA. I would like him to analyse the samples and see what he comes up with."

Bella thought about this for a moment. She knew she couldn't take them back to the University because frankly it was probably out of their league too. She still had the arm and she could replicate the samples easily if needs be. If Edward and his uncle were discreet about this, she couldn't see any harm at all.

"Okay Edward, but just the samples; I'm going to hang onto the arm" ... she laughed when she said that, it sounded so silly ... "and I'll pretend for the moment that I haven't had time to investigate it. My department presumes we just found a regular arm and we are waiting for the rest of the body to turn up. We are so busy with the serial killer I know we can wing it for a while."

Bella was dying to ask Edward whether he was married or in a relationship; he wasn't wearing any rings so that was a big clue. When she had sat down at the table she had looked at him properly for the first time. He wasn't thin any more, he was still slim but his body had filled out to match his height and his broad shoulders. His skin was clear now but still showed some permanent blemishes from his teenage years. His jaws and chin were covered with a fine layer of stubble and his auburn hair was lighter and shorter than she remembered it but still gloriously thick and soft, but it was his eyes that still had the ability to look straight into her soul and the memory of what he did with his mouth was tempting her to launch herself at him across the table. She hadn't seen him for ten years but she wanted him, she could feel the fire building up inside her again, but he hadn't given her any indication that he was going to pick up where he left off.

Edward had studied Bella as she talked about her job; she was just as he remembered her, naturally beautiful and full of life. He wanted to apologise for that night ten years ago for not having the balls to say to her face he would be leaving the next day, but he was worried that if he did he may resurrect the other things that happened that night which could be awkward. He had thought about Bella a lot over this time as he had never come close to replicating the level of passion and total abandonment that he felt that night, especially when they kissed on the front porch. He had tried to put it down to it being his first time with a girl and the experience being special and new, so over the past ten years when he was lying awake at night thinking of her and comparing her with his current lover, he had tried to convince himself that if he ever had the opportunity to kiss Bella again, he wouldn't have the same reaction.

Anyway, he was with Annabel now and he was content. She was the daughter of one of his Yale Professors and she was bright and very beautiful. Life was good for Edward at the moment and he wasn't prepared to rock the boat. Bella hadn't changed though and he couldn't help comparing Bella's natural beauty to Annabel's pristine image that was acquired by spending an extraordinary amount of time and money in gyms, spas and salons perfecting 'the look'. Edward often wondered what Annabel would look like if they got stranded on a desert island and had to go 'au natural' for a few months; he probably wouldn't recognise her, but until now it hadn't bothered him.

They finished their meal and Edward charged it to his business account then he walked with Bella back to her truck. After an awkward moment, he kissed Bella quickly on the cheek and said he would come to her lab tomorrow morning to pick up the samples on the way to the airport.

Bella drove away with a heavy heart watching Edward standing on the sidewalk in her rear view mirror. She saw him wave and she waved back, just like ten years ago. She didn't get much work done that afternoon.


	9. CSI Seattle 9

**CHAPTER NINE**

As soon as Bella arrived back at her lab Victoria called her in for another progress report on the serial killer case. The young hiker's body had been confirmed as victim number eleven, adding to the eight original confirmed victims plus two previously unconfirmed but now confirmed victims who were a middle-aged woman who was diabetic who had lost about half her blood and the man from the lifeboat who had haemophilia who had only a small amount of blood removed. The young hiker had been completely drained like the first eight.

Bella reported to Victoria that she had read Jacob's notes twice over and nothing had triggered a memory of anything Jacob had said to her. She told Victoria that she going to concentrate on the eighth victim as Jacob seemed to have targeted this man for an as yet unknown reason. Jacob had obviously been trawling through CCTV footage from all the surrounding shops and businesses that had been taken on the night the man disappeared and she was hoping to find a clue there.

Bella had yet to examine the hiker's clothes for evidence and that was her next priority. As a consequence of the presence of the serial killer, Seattle was on virtual lock down at night and reports of other crimes such as street attacks and general petty crime had plummeted, which freed up the beat policeman to follow-up leads and possible witnesses to the killer's attacks. With the latest victim being murdered in the National Park, tourism to this area was now starting to suffer so pressure was coming from another part of the State now to find the killer quickly.

Bella had made a calendar of the dates when the victims went missing and she mentioned to Victoria that statistically the city was well overdue for another murder. The victims had been disappearing on average once a week, but after they had been reported as missing the bodies had turned up at varying times from almost immediately or, like the hiker, up to a fortnight later. No-one had been reported missing since he disappeared and even though it was too early to hope that the killings had stopped, it was a break in the pattern.

On her way back to her lab she noticed that Leah was at her work bench. She hadn't had a chance to speak to her properly about what had happened on the afternoon when Jacob died, so she made herself a cup of coffee and wandered over to Leah's cluttered work area where she was analysing some photographs from a recent robbery in the city. Leah was the film and photography queen – her attention to detail was second to none and she spent her days trawling for evidence from the hundreds of photographs that came her way. Since the invention of the camera phone, the amount of evidence obtained through people being in the right place at the right time, sometimes without knowing it, had grown enormously and always the first plea for witnesses following a crime was for anyone to come forward who was taking photographs or filming in the area.

Leah stopped what she was doing, welcome for the chance to have a break and a chat. She had been expecting Bella to come to speak to her since she came back from compassionate leave, even though she didn't think she could help that much as she couldn't recall anything apart from being whacked across the head.

"Hi Bella, how are you?"

"Okay, keeping busy helps. Is your head better now?"

"Yes, it's fine; I'm not getting headaches or taking the pain killers anymore which is good." Leah patted her head to convince her but cleverly avoided the spot where it still ached like hell when she touched it.

"Good. You know I've taken over from Jacob temporarily, I need to try and find out why he was where he was that day and also if you remember anything else, like what you heard and saw."

"I heard that you had taken over the case Bella, but I don't know whether I can add anything. I know that Jacob was concentrating his efforts on V8, but I'm not sure why. When he came into work that morning he was very agitated and bad tempered. I asked him where you were and he almost bit my head off."

Bella knew why he was agitated of course because she had just broken the engagement off. She didn't go in that morning as she had asked Victoria whether she could come in late that day so she could avoid being on her own in the lab with Jacob first thing, but of course she didn't tell Victoria that.

Leah continued. "He told me he had a suspect in mind and he wanted me to go with him so he could check out his movements. He told me that he had spotted a guy on CCTV several times where there had been disappearances and he had found out where he worked. I was surprised at this and frankly I didn't believe him as I had been through all the footage he had and I had never seen any person more than once who didn't have a legitimate reason for being there. But I went along with it because he was the boss and I wasn't going to question him, especially when he was in a mood and I wasn't going be the one to tell him that it wasn't his job to be staking-out suspects. I think now that Jacob wanted to get the credit for cracking the case on his own rather than letting Seth and his team get all the glory, which is what normally happens."

Bella nodded her head in agreement. Jacob had a very short temper and he would often throw his toys out of the pram if things weren't going his way and he often used to grumble when his input was overlooked when the pats on the back were handed out when a high-profile case was solved.

"We had been there for about half an hour when Jacob got out the car without saying anything and headed towards the office buildings but he didn't go in any of them, he just walked up and down the sidewalk looking through the windows of the buildings on the opposite side of the road. I had been watching him all the time but my cell phone rang and I bent down to get it out of my bag at the precise moment that I heard some voices, but I couldn't tell what was being said or by whom or what direction the voices were coming from. I opened the car door quickly and started to look round to see where he was and then I saw a flash and the next thing I knew I was on the floor with Jacob next to me and then I passed out. It all happened so quickly."

"What sort of flash was it?"

"I don't know, it was more like a blur when I come to think of it, or the light changing in front of me, then I felt a pain in my head."

"Okay Leah, thanks. I'm glad that he didn't kill you too. We're going to get this bastard, he will slip up one day and we'll be there when he does."

Bella wandered back to her lab and thought about what Leah had said. She was sure that somewhere in Jacob's notes he had mentioned a flash on one of the CCTV images and he didn't know what it was. She got the notebooks out of her bag and was trawling through them when her phone rang. Edward was in reception and he wasn't getting past the receptionist this time. He was early and wanted to take her out for morning coffee before going to the airport, so she grabbed her bag and quickly walked to the elevators, trying to stay calm.

It was a warm day so they found a coffee shop that was a short distance from the lab with seating outside. Bella noticed that Edward was getting a lot of admiring glances from the female customers while they were having their coffee and even from women passing by, but Edward was oblivious to what was going on around him.

"How's the investigation going Bella?" Edward said after their coffees had arrived.

"Not very well, there is just no real evidence to work on. I spoke to one of my colleagues today who was probably seconds away from the killer and all she remembers is seeing a blur."

"A blur?"

"Yes, she first described it as a flash and then a blur. My boss who died also mentioned a flash in his notes but I didn't take much notice of that until today."

"You said he mentioned CCTV footage; have you tried slowing it down?"

"No, there's hours of it, I haven't had time"

"Well why don't you look for the flash and try and slow that down, frame by frame."

"I could do, I'll ask Leah to look as well. Edward, can we not talk about work."

"Okay, what do you want to talk about?"

"I don't know" Bella thought for a moment and decided to bite the bullet. "Edward why didn't you tell me you were going to Connecticut straight after the Prom? I always wondered why you didn't say anything."

"I'm sorry about that Bella, I suppose I enjoyed being with you so much that I didn't want to spoil how it ended. I felt overwhelmed when it happened and my emotions were in turmoil. I didn't want to add saying goodbye to you as well."

"I didn't get a chance to say goodbye to you at all Edward."

"I know; I'm sorry. That was very remiss of me."

"Did you think of me at all after that night?"

"Yes, I thought about you a lot, still do as a matter of fact. You're still number one on my kissing chart." Edward laughed but Bella didn't find it amusing.

"Who's number two then?"

"My girlfriend, Annabel. We've been together for about eighteen months and we'll probably end up getting married. Where do I come on your kissing chart Bella?"

"Number one of course, what do you think?"

"So where does your current boyfriend come on the chart. I presume a beautiful girl like you has a boyfriend."

Bella was getting upset now. Her hopes of rekindling her relationship with Edward had just disappeared down the plughole.

"My fiancé who was also my boss, was killed on duty less than three weeks ago Edward, but I had broken the engagement the night before he died, which makes me an 18 carat asshole."

Edward was shocked at Bella's story. "I'm so sorry Bella, I had no idea, but why did you break the engagement?"

"Because he wasn't number one on my kissing chart, Edward."

"Oh" Edward looked down at the table as the realisation hit him that Bella hadn't got over him and he knew he wasn't in a position to help her with this situation.

Bella stood up and started walking away from the table. "I think we'd better go back to the lab and you can pick up the samples and go."

Edward slung some money at a waiter and followed her out, not knowing what to say. He walked behind her in silence as they made their way back to her building where they went straight down to the cold storage room. Bella had prepared a special insulated box for Edward to take on the plane with him plus authorisation papers from the Seattle Police allowing the transfer of evidence for scientific purposes. "Very efficient" Edward said quietly.

Bella couldn't look him in the eye as they removed the evidence box from the drawer. Edward pulled off the tape and Bella lifted the lid off. Edward grabbed the jar holding the remainder of the skin sample and the three covered Petri dishes then Bella slammed the lid back down and held it there while Edward sealed it with tape again. He locked the drawer and Bella put the key back in her pocket. After they had put the samples in the insulated box, Bella accompanied Edward down to the visitors' car park so that he wouldn't be challenged by anyone who didn't recognise him.

They walked quickly across the parking lot to Edward's hire car; he opened the trunk and carefully placed the box inside. Edward knew he had to say something; he didn't want to leave things like this, especially as he knew he would have to speak to her again soon.

"Bella, I'm sorry things worked out the way they have. We've been living three thousand miles apart for the past ten years and our lives are totally different now. You'll always be a special memory for me, no-one can ever take that night away. He pulled Bella towards him and gave her a long hug then bent down to kiss her on top of her head. "Goodbye Bella, I'll phone you when we get some results."

Bella turned to walk away without saying anything; her head was down and she didn't look back.

He meant to get in the car and go but her scent and the softness of her body when he hugged her had triggered the physical part of his memory and this had reawakened his desire for her as his kiss lingered on her head. As he watched her making her way back towards the building her body language was crying out rejection and defeat, but with each step she took he could feel the long-suppressed burn building up more and more inside of him as memories of that night ten years ago came flooding back into his brain and other parts of his body. He had never felt such an intense need for a woman as he was feeling right now, even though he had had a string of girlfriends since that night, and he knew then that the opportunity to re-live that feeling of pure passion again was slowly slipping away from him.

"Fuck this" he said and sprinted after her, catching her just before she entered the building. He grabbed hold of her arm and spun her around so that she was facing him and he kissed her fully on the lips. Bella's eyes were closed because she had been crying and he brushed the tears away from her cheeks with his fingers before putting his hands on either side of her neck like before and then that was it, his mouth was over hers and as Bella softly moaned in appreciation, her lips came apart and Edward's tongue was inside her mouth.

Edward pushed Bella backwards so that she was pressed against the wall of the building. One of his hands was in her hair while the other was around her waist pulling her hips towards him. Bella's hands had moved onto his back and she could feel his muscles tensing and flexing under her fingertips. She pressed herself close to him and she could feel his erection pressing on her belly. "Oh God", she thought, she needed him so much, she wanted him right now; she was coming alive again and it felt so good.

Edward was on fire. Ten years of searching for someone like Bella who could trigger this much want, this much need, this much passion had been futile. Bella's mouth was made for him; her taste was a rare and exquisite drug that was now coursing through his body and her touch had awakened his animal instincts; he was seriously aroused and he wanted to take her somewhere now and fuck her. His cock was a rod of steel and he felt like he was ready to explode. The intensity of feeling was there like it had been ten years ago, but then he was a boy who was not physically or mentally capable of taking the experience any further; he was a man now and he knew what he wanted, what he was desperate for.

He pulled his lips away from her mouth and ran his hands through her hair then he gripped her head between his hands and stared directly into her eyes. "I want you Bella, I need to be inside of you right now." His eyes were blazing and he wasn't going to be denied.

Bella didn't hesitate; she grabbed his hand and pulled him into the building because she needed him too; she was burning like a volcano and the heat inside her was almost painful. She wanted to do this so badly now and the anticipation of having him inside her was almost too much to bear, but where the hell was she going to take him?

An idea came into her head and she dragged him along a short corridor and down a flight of stairs to the janitor's store room. The cleaners only worked very early in the morning so she knew it would be deserted at this time of the day, she just hoped the door wasn't locked. She tried the door handle and success, it opened and they both fell into the small room that was packed with cleaning products and vacuum cleaners and the air smelled of disinfectant and polish.

Edward pushed her back against the door which banged shut and clamped his lips on hers again as Bella started to try to pull his shirt undone. They kissed passionately as their hands flew over each other's bodies.

Edward broke the kiss and brushed the hair from Bella's face and looked at her directly in the eyes again. "Are you sure you want to do this Bella?

"I've waited ten years for this moment Edward; I think that's long enough, don't you?"

With that he picked her up and wrapped her legs around his hips and then smashed his lips against hers as he pushed her against the door. With one hand he quickly unbuttoned her blouse and once that was undone, he roughly pushed his fingers under her bra and grasped one of her breasts in his hand. He took her nipple between his fingers and pinched and squeezed it causing Bella to scream in appreciation. His other hand had disappeared under her skirt and was working its way up her thigh towards her panties which were now soaking wet. His mouth alternated between sucking her breasts and kissing her lips and face and he left tiny bite marks on her neck and breasts as evidence of his passion.

Bella was trying unsuccessfully to undo Edward's shirt. She wanted to run her fingers over his chest, to feel her hands against his bare skin, but her fingers weren't doing what her brain was telling them to and she moaned in frustration. Edward's mouth had abandoned Bella's lips and he was now heading southward towards her breasts so Bella tugged at his hair to gain his attention.

"Edward, I want to undress you, can you put me down?"

Edward stopped what he was doing and after carefully lowering Bella back onto the floor, allowed her to unbutton his shirt and the top button of his pants. Before removing his shirt completely, Bella ran her hands over his bare chest then she licked him from his navel up to his nipples, running her tongue around and over both of them, which nearly drove Edward insane. She removed his shirt then stood still as Edward pulled her blouse off and undid her bra. His large hands completely covered her breasts and he marvelled at their natural softness as he stroked and pinched her nipples, then he reached behind her to undo her skirt which dropped to the floor. He knelt down and slowly pulled Bella's panties down, removing her sandals at the same time and then he ran his hands all over her body from her ankles, up her legs, around to her buttocks then around her waist and up to breasts again.

"You are so beautiful Bella" he said and kissed her gently on her forehead.

Bella ran her hands over his happy trail and then her fingers caressed the outline of his cock that was still confined in his underwear. Edward pushed his fingers under the waistband and pulled them off with his pants at the same time. He kicked them away and stroked his cock while staring directly into Bella's eyes.

"Oh Shit, No!" he cried out. "No condoms"

Bella put her hand on his face, stroking his cheek. "I've had the shot Edward and I know I'm clean, it's up to you if you want to go on."

Edward let out a sigh of relief and pulled Bella towards him. She had been a one-man-girl until three weeks ago and he was a one-girl-man until this moment and anyway he wasn't capable of stopping now. He lifted her up so that her shoulders were supporting her against the door and her legs were around his hips again. She could feel his cock at her entrance and she was desperate. "Please fuck me Edward, I need this now, do it to me, please."

"Jesus" Edward cried, and without hesitation he plunged his cock into her, burying himself in as far as he could go. Bella screamed out in delicious pain and pleasure as she felt him reach parts of her that had never been touched before and she clung onto him tightly while her body learned to accept the new invader.

Edward was trying to concentrate on not coming too quickly. The intensity of the emotions he was feeling was too much to take. Bella's body felt like a warm glove around his cock and her slightest movement was fanning the firestorm in his head. He started to move, slowly at first, savouring every sensation, and he watched in adoration and wonder as the girl he was fucking was responding to every move he made. She was designed especially for him, she had been born to pleasure him and he was going to take full advantage and he thanked God that he had been given the chance to fulfil his ten-year fantasy. His movements sped up and soon he was pounding into her hard and fast. Her breasts were bouncing up and down with each thrust and her ankles were locked together behind him, squeezing his body with exquisite torture.

Bella was moaning in ecstasy each time Edward rammed his cock into her body and she could feel her orgasm building up inside of her; no manual stimulation was going to be required this time. He was touching parts of her that she didn't know existed and her skin was on fire. His movements were feral and the sounds coming from his mouth were like growls. She was being taken by a man who was totally in control of her body and she was his willing slave.

"I'm going to come Bella" Edward grunted. "Come with me."

Bella allowed her subconscious to be consumed by the miracle that was happening inside her body and she exploded like a supernova as bright stars appeared in front of her eyes as her orgasm enveloped her. Edward's thrusts had increased in force and speed to be almost violent and he crushed her between the door and his body as he pushed in hard one final time before he detonated inside of her. As his cock pulsed he shouted out Bella's name and threw his head back waiting for death to take him if that was the price he had to pay for this illicit experience. He carried on moving inside her, but at a slower pace until the longest orgasm of his life finally came to an end and then he bent his head down and buried his face into her hair while he regained his composure.

They stayed like that for a few minutes until their heart rates returned to normal; their bodies were glistening in sweat and Bella could feel the product of Edward's release slowly running down her legs. She looked around her and over Edward's shoulders and saw they were surrounded by every paper product known to man, tissues, paper towels, toilet rolls, absolutely everything. She grinned to herself for a second and then whispered to Edward that she thought they should clean themselves up.

Edward slowly pulled out of her and Bella gasped. She knew she was going to be sore as Edward had complete lost himself in her, but at least she would be able to feel him inside her for the next few days while he was back on the East Coast.

She grabbed some tissues from a box beside her but Edward stayed her hand. "Let me do that" he said. "I'm sorry I was so rough with you but I couldn't help myself" and he knelt down and gently cleaned her legs and intimate area while Bella stroked his head and ran her fingers through his hair, massaging his scalp. No-one had ever done that for her before and she was overwhelmed by the care he was giving her. When he had finished he laid the side of his face against her belly and wrapped his arms around her legs while she carried on stroking and massaging his head.

Eventually he stood up. "I've got to go Bella, I've a plane to catch. Will you be OK?"

Bella nodded her head. "I'll be fine Edward, you'd better hurry."

They quickly dressed and tidied up the store room then made their way up the stairs and out into the daylight. Bella was trying not to hobble but she was a bit stiff and sore, but she wasn't complaining.

"I'll phone you tomorrow Bella, stay safe won't you? Don't put yourself in harm's way."

"Yes, Edward, I'll be careful."

He got in his car and opened the window. Reaching out he ran his fingers down Bella's face; he could see tears forming in her eyes and he almost felt like crying himself. What the hell had he just done?

"Bye Bella" he said as he pulled away, and through his mirror he watched her standing there alone as his car picked up speed.

"Shit!" he said.


	10. CSI Seattle 10

**CHAPTER TEN**

Bella took the elevator back to her floor, picking up a coffee on the way to her lab. Leah looked up from her desk as she hobbled by. "Are you okay Bella? You looked like you've been kicked by a horse."

"I'm fine Leah, just slipped over and landed on my butt. Just give me a few minutes and I'll come over to see you. I need your advice."

Bella sat down carefully and tipped her handbag out onto the desk. There were some pain killers in there somewhere so she poked about among the candy wrappers and other bits of rubbish that had accumulated since her last clear-out. Eventually she found two Tylenol and knocked them back hoping that they would ease the delicious pain in her overstretched muscles.

She sat at her desk sipping her coffee with both hands wrapped around the warm cup, recalling the events of the last half hour in total disbelief. "What the hell had just happened" she thought to herself. Edward had instantly turned from being totally disinterested in her, saying that "_they were living different lives three thousand miles apart_", then within seconds wham bam he was all over her, kissing her passionately and then fucking her into oblivion. She was under no illusions, there was no romance in that encounter, no words of love or devotion were exchanged; what they had was rampant sex, pure and simple, and it was amazing.

She covered her face with her hands as she felt her cheeks burning bright red at the thought that she had allowed Edward to have her without any promise of 'tomorrow.' He had a long term girlfriend and lived on the other side of the continent so there was no hope of a relationship, but she had known that when he had started kissing her and she had still let him ravage her with no thought of the long-term consequences. She imagined with a grimace what Angela would think of her now.

Leah and Quil were giving her funny looks from their side of the lab so to distract herself while she was waiting for the chemical cosh to work she resumed reading Jacob's notes on victim number eight, or V8 as Leah called him. She tried to concentrate on the words which were written in Jacob's untidy script but holding his notebooks and reading his words made her feel even more uncomfortable about what she had just done, even though she didn't feel guilty.

She could still smell Edward's cologne and feel his strong hands gripping her body and her mind was wandering from the task in hand. She stuck her fingers in her ears to block out any sounds around her and forced herself to read every page carefully until she reached the page where he had made comments on the CCTV footage stored on the DVDs in his bag. Against each numbered DVD there was a short note about anything worth following up and against DVD number five were the words that Bella remembered seeing before, 'Flash on screen - investigate.'

She picked up Jacob's backpack and took out the DVDs from the side pocket. DVD number five contained footage taken from a camera on a building housing a business called Cullen Finance Consultancy. Their camera was a static type that gave a fixed view of the street below, recording whoever was approaching their office door from the sidewalk directly in front of their building. Bella looked up the company address on their internet webpage and confirmed it was definitely on the same street where Jacob had been attacked and where V8 had disappeared. V8's office was 100 yards along the same street and he had been abducted in the few moments between leaving his building and walking to where his car was parked in a public lot less than one minutes walk away.

Bella stood up slowly, "Ouch" she said under her breath, and then walked as normally as she could over to Leah's bench.

"Any chance you could examine this one again for me Leah?"

"Sure. Take a seat and I'll put it up on the screen. What are you looking for?"

"A flash of some description."

"Like lightening or like the one I saw?"

"I don't know, Jacob mentioned it in his notes."

Leah put the disc in the machine and after a few seconds the first image appeared on a large plasma screen in front of her. "This disc is four hours long Bella, could you narrow the time down a bit."

Bella looked at the notes again for anything that would help. "V8 allegedly left work at 6.30 pm so if we presume it was when he disappeared, it would be around that sort of time I guess. Jacob didn't mention a time in his notes."

"OK, we'll start it off at quarter past, just in case their CCTV clock is wrong."

Leah hit fast forward and the images flew past quickly until it reached 6.15 pm on the time counter. It was dark for the time of year and the sidewalk was illuminated from above by street lighting plus the light from the office below. The camera was situated high up so its field of view was wide, probably about 25 to 30 yards along the sidewalk and about 10 to 12 yards across the street. Bella and Leah watched intently at the real-time action of cars driving past, people walking by, one small dark haired girl or woman leaving the office next door at around 6.20 pm, a dog out on its own, the victim in a dark overcoat coming along the street and then a flash appeared across the screen.

"Stop!" Bella shouted. Leah hit the pause button. "Go back, go back" Bella said and stood up so she could lean nearer to the screen. "Ouch!" she said, totally forgetting her backside was on fire.

"Play that bit again."

Leah hit the play button and they watched as the man in the overcoat walked along the sidewalk until he had passed the front of the office, then there was a flash and the sidewalk was empty.

"Did he have enough time to walk out of view of the camera before he disappeared?" Bella asked aloud.

Leah went back to when the man came into view, but before she hit play she made a note of the time on the screen. She stop/started the disc until she could register the exact fraction of a second when he first appeared and then stop/started it again on the last frame when he disappeared. She got her calculator out of the drawer and started scribbling on a piece of paper, then she looked up at the screen, hit the play button and then scribbled a bit more. After a few seconds of thought she turned to Bella and said "No, I don't think so."

"Right Leah, we're getting somewhere. Can you go back to just before we saw the flash. Is there any way you can slow it down?"

"It depends on the quality of the recording, I'll have a go, but I'll need to take it to a different machine. Follow me."

Leah extracted the disc and went into a small room off the main lab. Bella hadn't been in there since some new high-tech equipment had been installed about a month ago as this wasn't her field of work. She remembered Jacob being really excited about Leah's new toy when it arrived, but she couldn't get excited about gadgets, but Jacob was a guy of course. However even she was impressed by the sight of the electronics deck in the middle of the room as it looked as though it had come from the Starship Enterprise as there was a mind-boggling array of technology laid out on its surface. Leah jumped into what would be Chekov's seat and told Bella to pull up what was probably Sulu's chair so she could sit next to her. She slid the disc into the only piece of equipment that looked recognisable to Bella and a static image was projected onto a massive plasma screen in front of them.

"Okay Bella I'm going to slow this down as much as this baby can manage, so watch the screen carefully." Leah bent forward over the deck and pressed a number of buttons, then hit the large green one that Bella presumed was 'play.'

The man in the overcoat was already in front of the business; his movements were now so slow that the delay was at least eight seconds between each step. Bella knew that he only had to take four more steps before he disappeared from view so she looked at what was on the sidewalk, what was reflected in the windows, what cars were driving past, trying to see anything that she hadn't seen before. The man was just taking his fifth step which was right before the flash when something appeared on the screen from the top of the frame, then the man was gone.

"What the fuck was that?"

"Something came down from above, go back Leah"

Leah took the disc back about a half a second of real time and hit play, keeping her finger hovering over the pause button.

"There it is, do it again"

Leah tried again; this time she hit play, then immediately hit pause. Success. On the screen was a dark shadow that looked like the shape of a man about ten feet off the ground, blocking the view of the victim from the camera, but that was impossible they both thought; the camera was situated above the second floor windows. Someone would have to jump at least three floors to create that effect.

"Can you tidy that up Leah?"

"I'll do my best" she replied and started pushing the controls up and down which sharpened the image in one way and toned it down the next. It reminded Bella of her own computer program at home that she used to tidy up her own amateur photographs.

After a couple of minutes, Leah hit the button that would have been 'save changes' on Bella's laptop, and the hunched frame of a man in mid flight appeared on screen. His back was to the camera but thanks to the street lighting you could just make out his clothes and that he was probably Caucasian. His hair was quite long and thin and either dark brown or black, it was difficult to be precise, and he looked quite slim. They ran the film forward frame by frame but his image had only appeared for a fraction of a second and there was no image of how the victim was accosted; they both had disappeared in the blink of an eye.

"Can you see any ropes or wires?"

"No, there's nothing there."

"How did he move so fast, that's impossible - it's not natural?"

"I don't know Leah, I can't understand how he did it."

"Jesus Christ Bella, do you know who we are looking at?"

"No"

"Fucking Superman!"

"Nah, more like Spiderman"

"Actually he's our Serial-Killer-Man – we've got to show this to Victoria."

Bella sat down in Sulu's chair and gazed at the image on the screen. Had Jacob seen this and was this the reason he was outside this particular office the day he died? It seemed pretty obvious to her now that it was.

"Did Jacob know now to use this equipment?"

"Yes, he came in here a few times to look at stuff; I taught him to use it" Leah said proudly.

"Do you remember if he looked at these CCTV images?"

"I think so. I knew he was looking at some DVDs to do with the case and I asked him if he wanted any help; he said he would give me a shout if he needed any. One day he was in here for over an hour."

"When was that?"

"About two days before... um, before you-know"

"Okay"

"Victoria is in Court today Bella, we'll have to show her this tomorrow"

"Fine, that will give me a chance to do some research on this building, who works in it and who has access to it. In the meantime Leah, don't say anything about this to anyone, understand." Bella wanted Victoria to have the kudos of being able to tell James they had a lead; she had taken so much shit from this man in the past few weeks that she deserved the chance to deliver some good news for a change.

"Alright Bella, it's our secret for the moment" Leah agreed.

She saved the frozen image of the jumping man onto a separate disc and gave both originals back to Bella. It was getting late and Bella wanted to get home and sit in the bath for two hours, so she gathered up her bags and left before it got dark.

* * *

As she drove home she wondered whether Edward was back in Hartford or still in the air. It would be night time by now on the East coast as they were three hours ahead of Seattle and she imagined him being met by his girlfriend at the airport. She tried to dismiss that thought in her mind and as a distraction recalled running her hands over Edward's smooth (but not too muscular) chest, licking him and then listening with satisfaction to him groaning in appreciation. Her muscles clenched in her abdomen when she recalled every moment of their encounter; she could still feel the burn inside her and had to concentrate hard on her driving as her heart had started pounding in her chest.

Even though Jacob was dead, she believed that what had happened between her and Edward that morning had vindicated her decision to break off the engagement, even though the timing couldn't have been worse. She was truly sorry she had caused him distress on what was his last day on Earth and now wished she had told him months earlier, but she felt now that she could live the rest of her life with a clear conscience as she had finished it and had been honest with Jacob before he died.

As she pulled up in front of her apartment she whispered "you did the right thing today" to herself. She couldn't have foreseen this happening she reflected as she gathered her bags up and now their paths had crossed again totally unexpectedly; HE had kissed HER and yes, it was as good as she remembered. Now of course they had taken it a stage further and, to be totally candid, they had fucked; there was no love or affection between them in that room, just pure unadulterated lust and it was 'fucking marvellous' she thought as she squeezed her legs together, remembering the feel of his body locked between them.

She knew when he spun her around in the parking lot and kissed her like he had kissed her before that she was not going to pass on the opportunity to have him completely if he wanted her. He had ruined her with his kisses ten years before; now he had obliterated any chance of her receiving satisfaction with any other man in the future, as he had taken her to the edge of heaven this morning and she was still coming down from the experience.

She didn't know if Edward was 'the one' as their encounters from the Prom date onwards had been carnal and animalistic. He turned her on and she knew she did the same to him. That sort of passion couldn't be faked. Whether they were soul mates as well was yet to be ascertained, but she knew she wasn't prepared to give him up. He was her drug of choice and until she found an alternative that didn't have a girlfriend and lived three thousand miles away, he was 'it' for her.

Molly met her by the door as usual and when they had both been fed and watered, Bella filled up the tub with every relaxing concoction she had in her bathroom and gently lowered herself in wishing she had a Jacuzzi. She didn't want to totally sooth away the sensation of Edward's assault, but she had to work tomorrow and walking around like you had taken part in a Rodeo wasn't acceptable on any level.

* * *

Edward sat in the smart business class lounge at SeaTac waiting for his midday flight to Hartford. His head was in his hands as he recalled the events of that morning. "Why did I do it?" he asked himself; he had been able to resist her, okay with difficulty, when he had first walked into her lab with the samples. He'd managed to take her out to lunch yesterday without jumping her even though he wanted to, so what the hell happened today?

A waiter brought over a whiskey and soda and Edward took a long drink. He was going to need a few more of these before he faced Annabel. "Oh God, Annabel" he thought, shaking his head. He had been unfaithful to her and he was disgusted with himself. He hated listening to the lurid tales that his married or attached male colleagues would relate, usually with pride, about their affairs or one night stands and he always felt sick to his stomach because he knew most of their wives or partners very well. They were lovely, devoted women who were either home with the kids or following their own careers or both, totally oblivious to the fact that their husband or partner was a complete shit; he never thought he would join the cheaters club one day.

He wasn't actually married to Annabel, but they had been living together for about six months and their engagement party was due to take place in two weeks time at her parents' house in Rhode Island. He wouldn't be able to look her in the eye tonight; she would know straight away he thought. She would be waiting for him at the airport and he knew she had a 'special night' planned for him as she had been sending him risqué text messages while he had been away. He knew he would definitely have to shower for an hour first because he imagined he had Bella's scent all over him.

His flight was called and he picked up his carry-on bag and the samples and made his way to the gate. One advantage of business class was that he would be first on the plane and would not have to queue up with the rest of humanity who probably had higher morals than he had he thought. The flight attendant showed him to his seat and the next whiskey and soda was put in front of him within a minute.

He closed his eyes and an image of Bella's naked body appeared in his subconscious and he groaned. The memory of when he thrust himself into her for the first time came back to him vividly and he was glad he had a table over his groin area. His hand went up to his hair and he gripped a handful tugging it forcefully. He didn't know whether this was a sign of stress or whether he was reliving Bella doing just that to him when they were in the throes of passion.

"Are you alright Sir?" The flight attendant had noticed he was looking agitated as his other hand was gripping the arm of his seat so tightly that his knuckles were white.

"I don't like flying" Edward lied. He downed the whiskey and gestured that he would like another one. The attendant disappeared to get him a double.

He tried to analyse what had made him act the way he did and came to the conclusion that he just 'needed to know.' The events of Prom night with Bella had affected his sex life ever since he left Forks on the morning after the Prom. Bella's kisses and her response to him that night was the bar that all his other girlfriends had fallen short of, even Annabel. She was the closest, but the all-consuming passion and total connection he had felt with Bella wasn't there. He couldn't put his finger on why; he thought he loved Annabel, in fact he did love her as a person, but their sex life was not perfect and it wasn't for want of trying. She had a high libido and wanted him practically every night and sometimes in the morning, which could be quite exhausting, but the overwhelming desire that drove him to be intimate with Bella just wasn't there with Annabel. Their love-making this morning, if that's what it was, was honest and natural and he felt no need to 'perform' with Bella; they had both just revelled in the intensity of the experience.

It was because he 'needed to know' that he had given in to temptation and reignited the flame that had been lying dormant inside him for the past ten years. The flame was now an inferno that was raging painfully in his gut; he had seen Bella naked and had held her while she came apart in his arms and he knew without doubt that he wouldn't be able to walk away from her as easily this time.

Could he go ahead and marry Annabel, knowing that Bella was living and breathing in Seattle he asked himself? It was obvious that Bella wanted him as much as he wanted her. It was too early to tell whether they would be compatible as life-partners but their compatibility as sexual partners was not in doubt. Even now he was tempted to get off the plane and go back to that laboratory, drag her willing or unwilling back down to the janitor's cupboard and do it again and again. He felt the plane move so his chance to do just that had gone.

As the plane taxied towards the runway he understood now why Bella had broken off her engagement. She hadn't been prepared to commit to a man who was not passionate enough to satisfy her sexually and she had had the guts to do it, even though she had no guarantee that she would meet up with him again in the future, never mind kiss and fuck like animals. She had made the decision that she would be living a lie if she had married Jacob, which is what he would be doing if he married Annabel. "Oh Dear God" he said out loud, but fortunately business class was almost empty and no-one heard him.

Edward had whiskey number four in his hands, but the previous three hadn't gone any way to blot out the exquisite memory of seeing Bella coming apart in his arms and the feeling of pure ecstasy that raked his body when he came inside her this morning.

As the plane's engines roared, the recognition that he would soon have to make the decision whether to devastate Bella again or let down Annabel and her lovely family hung over him like a thunder cloud. Edward's hands gripped the arms of his seat as the plane's wheels left the ground and he knew that in seven hours time he would come face to face with the girl he was due to get officially engaged to in two weeks time and he would have to decide.

Whiskey number four had been consumed before the plane broke through the clouds and number five was on its way.


	11. CSI Seattle 11

**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

When the plane landed Edward collected his luggage and walked out of the airport straight into the arms of Annabel who had been waiting for him with her family's chauffeur. He was definitely the worse for wear but had eaten some mints before he got off the plane to disguise the smell of liquor, but he knew that if Annabel got too close she would smell it on him.

"Hi darling" he said and kissed Annabel on the cheek rather than her lips which surprised her. "I'm not well" he said, "I was sick on the plane. I think I ate some bad seafood back in Seattle so I need to get home fast."

The chauffeur carried Edward's bags and they followed him out to the car. Edward leant on Annabel as they walked through the terminal, pretending he was feeling dizzy to make his story look more plausible. He lay flat on the back seat of the car while Annabel sat in the front with the driver and he kept his eyes shut all the way home. When they arrived he went straight up to the bathroom and stood under the shower until he was convinced that every drop of Bella's scent had been washed away, then he crawled into bed groaning for Annabel's benefit, then slept soundly courtesy of Jack Daniels until the next morning.

Annabel had given up trying to get to sleep as he was snoring loudly so she slept in the spare bedroom. She was still asleep when Edward got up at six-thirty and after slinging some clothes on he quietly crept downstairs so as not to wake her. He was itching to get to the lab and he didn't want to be delayed by an amorous Annabel, plus he still didn't know how he was going to face her or more importantly what to say to her.

The insulated box had been kept in the fridge overnight as instructed so he took it out carefully, collected his briefcase and went out to the garage. He put everything in the back of his Volvo and drove off in the direction of the lab.

At the security gate the guard saluted him like he was an army general and lifted the barrier.

"Is Professor Masen in yet?" he asked the guard.

"Yes Sir, in fact he didn't go home but slept in the staff room I believe."

Edward laughed. Uncle Anthony would often do this if he was in the middle of an important experiment. He lived in a beautiful house overlooking the sea, but it was half an hour's drive away and sometimes he couldn't be bothered going home. He lived on his own, so what was the point of going back there was his argument.

Edward drove through the gate and parked in his designated spot next to his uncle's newest Porsche. That car was his uncle's only symbol of wealth that he possessed. On paper he was a multi-millionaire but you would never have known it. His house was the one he was born in as he had never considered living anywhere else, he ate in the laboratory canteen and he bought his clothes in Wal-Mart. The only time he had ever worn a suit was to his brother's wedding and when he collected his Nobel Prize in Sweden in 2003 and they were both hired. But he bought a new Porsche every two years and that was his one and only luxury. Every dollar the lab earned was poured back into more research and more staff, so now this facility that he owned outright was one of the largest privately owned independent labs in the country.

Edward collected his belongings from the trunk and entered the building using a swipe card device. Because of the type of work carried out there, security was extremely tight in order to prevent industrial spies stealing the laboratory's discoveries before they were patented. His uncle's work on the human genome was huge business which had made lots of money for the lab but also made it a prime target for medical espionage. Building on his uncle's initial research on DNA and genetics the laboratory was inventing new 'smart' treatments that would cure medical conditions caused by faulty genes, including some types of cancer, so staff were rigorously vetted and security was 'state of the art' to prevent years of investment and hard work falling into the hands of competitors ready and willing to rip them off.

Edward walked through the silent pristine corridors where in an hour or so scientists would be pouring in to work in secure and sterile conditions. For security reasons each lab was a separate entity in that nobody was allowed to discuss what they were doing with staff from any of the other labs, so if you went into the staff canteen at lunchtime no-one would be talking about their work, which was actually quite healthy.

His uncle's office and personal laboratory were at the end of the main corridor. His lab windows overlooked a beautiful man-made lake that was actually a reservoir that provided water for the complex but had been landscaped to look like a natural lake for aesthetic reasons and was now the home to many species of birds. Edward knocked on the lab door but went in without waiting for a reply.

"Edward" his uncle shouted. "The traveller returns! How was Seattle, pissing with rain as usual was it?"

"No uncle, it was actually warm and sunny. How are you?"

"Oh, so so. My back is aching and my knees are giving me a bit of gip, but I suppose that's the price of getting to my age."

Edward laughed. "You're only 62 uncle, I wouldn't call that old, not nowadays anyway."

"So Edward, tell me about Seattle. What did you do at that boring university with that dick of a Dean who used to be a student of mine?"

Edward recounted what they saw and learned when they visited the labs and he mentioned that the Dean had given him the names of two students who he thought should be considered for employment in the future. Personal recommendation was how the laboratory picked up most of their staff so he would give the names to HR when their personnel arrived at nine.

Anthony had spotted the insulated box that Edward had put down on the bench when he came in.

"What's that?"

"It's some tissue samples that I would like you to have a look at but I want you to keep an open mind as what I am about to tell you is only known fully by me and one other person and partially by a couple of hikers who will probably never know what they discovered."

Anthony raised an eyebrow and looked at his nephew. "Go on then, I'm interested."

Edward then recounted the story of how Miss Swan of Seattle CSI was called out to the forest near Forks and had immediately concluded that the arm she was required to examine was unusual. When Edward first mentioned that the limb was still moving, his uncle's eyebrows shot up and he sat bolt upright in his chair and stared at the sample box that was sitting on the bench next to Edward.

"I got involved purely by chance. Miss Swan took samples of the limb to the University for analysis but they were busy so I offered to carry out the tests for them. When I examined the skin sample, the tissue was still alive and showing no signs of deterioration."

Anthony got up from his chair and went to the cooler and got himself a glass of chilled water then sat down again. "Go on" he said.

"I took the samples back to Miss Swan and that was the first time I saw the whole arm. The inside of the arm was totally alien; there was no muscle or blood supply that I could see apart from something that looked like an artery running down the centre; the arm was made up with a substance that looked like pumice. Miss Swan told me that when she extracted the samples, she turned her back on the box it was stored in for a moment and it tried to climb out of the box on its own."

"Good God Edward" which was a strange thing for his uncle to say because he was a devout atheist. "If it wasn't you telling me this I wouldn't believe it. So what have you got there?"

"I've got hair, nail and skin samples"

"And where is the rest of the arm?"

"In the police labs in Seattle"

"Well we'd better take a look then."

Edward carried the box over to his uncle's work bench then put on a white coat and protective gloves. His uncle connected his microscope to a cable which would project the image of what was on the slide onto a screen on the wall above the bench. "Eyesight's not what it used to be" he said and winked at Edward.

Edward unwrapped the box and took out the jar and Petri dishes. He handed the jar with the skin sample to his uncle "I suggest you start with this" he said.

Anthony opened the jar and pulled the piece of skin out with tweezers. "Looks like normal skin to me Edward" he joked and placed it on a piece of glass. With a sharp scalpel he sliced a thin sliver off and secured it between two pieces of glass then placed it under his electro-microscope. He didn't need to look through the eyepiece, but fiddled about with the screws until the image became clear on the screen and then he saw in full Technicolor what Edward had seen on the small microscope in Seattle University.

Instead of a mass of dead cells that would normally be found in a skin sample, he was seeing what a dermatologist would find when examining tissue on a living patient, that is cells reproducing to replace dead ones. Edward heard his uncle gasp then watched him stand up and walk backwards from his bench, not believing what he was witnessing. He took his glasses off and gave them a wipe on his coat and sat down in his chair again and stared at the screen intently for a few minutes as he watched the birth and death of skin cells. He was totally absorbed observing the miracle of life before him when Edward shouted out "Uncle!"

They both jumped to their feet and watched in stunned silence as the skin sample on the bench moved of its own accord and slithered on the glass surface. Edward quickly grabbed hold of the tweezers and caught it between the points, then dropped it back into the jar and snapped the lid on tight.

Anthony mopped his brow and stared at the specimen in the jar and then the image on the screen.

"Edward, have you any idea what you've brought here?"

"No, that's why I brought it to you. Do you think it's alien?"

"No, I'm fairly certain the skin is human but I will run some tests. No-one is to know about this Edward. Are you sure you can trust Miss Swan not to talk?"

Edward was a bit put out at this question. "Uncle, Miss Swan could decide to talk whenever she wanted to and to whomever she wanted. It's her discovery and as a member of the police service she is actually duty bound to file a report on the arm eventually. Luckily, if you could call it that, the whole of the Seattle police force is focused on catching a serial killer at the moment, so a random arm found in the woods with no known owner is not causing anyone any lost sleep."

Anthony took a sip from his water while his mind worked overtime. Edward was a very bright young man but he could tell that he didn't realise what he had brought into this laboratory and more importantly, he had brought it to him and not kept it to himself. He was a hundred percent sure that the skin was human, even though it wasn't acting in a human way. He would have preferred to examine the whole arm and he wondered whether there would be a way of arranging this.

Whatever, it didn't really matter to him how this piece of skin was discovered or what it was attached to; what he had here was the medical find of the millennium, it was akin to inventing the wheel, or discovering fire. He had a skin sample in his laboratory that wasn't degenerating in the normal way as far as he could tell, and if he could discover how and why and synthesise it, the implications for the future of medicine and more importantly postponing the ageing process were infinite. His laboratory would be worth more than Apple, Microsoft and Wal-Mart put together. With the profit this discovery could make, just think what he could do in the future, how much more research he could fund?

Anthony got up from his seat and started pacing up and down the lab as his mind worked overtime. It was vital that this was contained he thought. Miss Swan, could she be trusted? Why was Edward helping out in the lab? He had to find all this out without raising suspicions. What about the rest of the body? If someone else found it and took it to one of his competitors, then his work would be in vain. Not if he got there first. If he discovered this 'antidote to death' and slapped a patent on it before anybody else, then he would get the Nobel Prize again and his name would go down in history like Fleming and Pasteur.

He needed to think this through, was he missing something? He needed to be by the lake so he could reflect on what he had just witnessed.

He stopped pacing and turned to where Edward was sitting, holding up the skin sample to the light. "Can you go to the canteen Edward and get me a sandwich – I'll be outside when you get back." He wanted to be alone for a moment so he could consider carefully what to do next.

"Okay uncle, I'll get myself one as well." Edward walked out the door, totally oblivious to the turmoil that was happening in his uncle's head.

As soon as he left the room, Anthony opened the sliding glass doors and made his way down to the lakeside where there was a wooden seat overlooking the water; his knee was very sore and he had to walk carefully down the slope as the grass was still damp with morning dew. He sat down and looked out across the still water to the woods beyond, trying to make sense of what he had just witnessed.

What Edward said about the inside of the arm was fascinating. He said it looked and felt like pumice stone and it was light in weight. Maybe that was what happened to a human body when the degeneration process slowed down? He would need to do some experiments on rats to see whether they turned to stone as well.

What was he going to tell Edward about his plans? He wasn't certain how he was going to handle keeping his findings or intentions to himself. Edward had been keen to help Miss Swan with her investigation before he knew what he would find. Was that just a coincidence or had he been tipped off about the uniqueness of the samples?

Edward had said that Miss Swan was just someone who worked in forensics, but he had noticed something different in Edward's voice when he spoke about her. Anthony was intrigued as to what drove a professional scientist to defy protocol, resist telling her superiors of her awesome discovery and instead pass samples to a random visiting scientist who had no experience in forensics, trusting him to contact her when he had run some tests? She obviously realised that she had something in her hands that defied all the scientific rules that she had been taught, but she didn't know what to do with it.

Anthony came to the conclusion that they must have known each other professionally or socially before his visit to Seattle and that was why he offered to help? Maybe she was someone from his past as he had lived in Washington State until 2003, but who was this girl or woman? He didn't know how old she was, but he would have to find out whether she possessed the knowledge to be a threat to his research in the future.

He needed to keep Edward away from his experiments so that he wouldn't guess what his ultimate goal was. There was nothing stopping Edward doing the usual DNA and genetic tests to find out as much about the arm's owner as possible; that would keep Edward occupied while he got on with the real work. Then he could send him back to Seattle to try and convince Miss Swan to let him have the whole arm because once that was in his possession, he would be sure that no-one else would be carrying out experiments on the tissue unless of course the rest of the body turned up.

It was of course possible that another lab had beaten him to it, but hadn't yet patented the method of how to slow down or stop a body degenerating. This arm must have come from somewhere, so someone must know how to do this, but who? Maybe another lab was carrying out experiments on humans he thought and something had gone wrong, or maybe a drug company tried out a new therapy with disastrous results, like Thalidomide, and tried to cover up the evidence before realising what they had created. The list of possibilities was endless.

He heard the glass doors opening and Edward was walking down the slope with a tray of bacon sandwiches and coffee. He put it down on the bench between them and they munched their breakfast in silence, both thinking about the implications of what was in those specimen jars.

"I think we need to try and find out who this man was. Someone must be missing him Edward. Can you do all the tests to find out as much about him as possible and I will concentrate on why his skin isn't deteriorating."

"Okay uncle, as long as you show me your results. I'm really interested."

"Of course Edward" Anthony replied, but he had already made his decision to exclude not just Edward, but everyone else in the lab.

This was going to be his research; nobody else was going to take the credit for his discoveries. It was going to be Anthony Masen's name that would go down in history and his lab that would reap the benefits.


	12. CSI Seattle 12

**CHAPTER TWELVE**

Bella arrived at work next morning looking like death. She had hardly slept because she had lain awake re-living every second of the 'morning delight' she had experienced with Edward, but also she had been trying to work out how a man could jump three stories, survive, abduct a middle aged man who weighed approximately 190 pounds in a fraction of a second without being seen.

Victoria was already in her office so after dumping her bags on her lab bench she knocked on her glass door and walked in. Victoria was on the phone and looked tired and stressed but she smiled at Bella and gestured for her to sit down. It was obvious she was being harassed by someone who should know better about the lack of progress her team was making to find the killer and Bella felt sorry for Victoria as she had to take the flack on behalf of the whole department.

When Victoria put the phone down she leaned back in her chair and said "give me some good news Bella, I don't know if I can take much more of this shit."

Bella grinned and waved the DVD in front of her. "I think we've got a picture of the bastard, do you want to have a look?"

Victoria jumped out of her chair and let out a "Whoop Whoop!" Bella stood up as well and beckoned her to follow her to Leah's studio where she put the disc in the machine and after a few seconds the image of the man jumping from the building was there in front of them.

"What the hell" was Victoria's first reaction and then she said "Explain?"

So Bella went through the reference to a flash in Jacob's notes, the CCTV images taken from the office and then the slowed down image of a man jumping down from the third floor.

Victoria looked at the screen again then asked to see the CCTV recording of the victim walking down the street to his car. She looked at each disc at least three times and then sat back and mulled over what she had just witnessed.

"He must have been on a wire Bella. Nobody could survive that sort of fall without breaking their neck, it's not possible."

"I agree, so I think we need to get a warrant to search the building to see if we can find evidence of wires being attached to the outside walls, what do you think?"

"Yes Bella, good idea. We will have to involve Seth Clearwater who is the detective in charge of the regular investigations, in fact I insist you go with him and I want an armed unit with you as well for protection."

"Okay" Bella said, and secretly she was relieved.

Two hours later she was in a squad car with Seth being taken to the scene. Behind them was a van carrying a team of armed officers who would take up positions around the building in case there was a break out. Bella had earlier explained to Seth over the phone what was on the DVD and Seth was quite put out that Jacob had taken it upon himself to approach the building without giving his section the opportunity to put the inhabitants under surveillance. He had respected Jacob but now thought him foolhardy to attempt to crack the case on his own.

Bella and Seth plus one plain-clothed armed officer walked up to the office doorway and pressed the button on the door entry system. A woman's voice crackled through the speaker "Hello".

"Police" Seth said authoritatively. "We have a warrant to search these premises, can you open the door now please."

The door immediately clicked open and Seth walked in first. Seth and the armed officer had their hands on their guns that were concealed under their jackets but no other weaponry was on show. Bella followed them in and after walking up two steps and through an internal door, they found themselves in a bright, airy office that was inhabited by a young woman who looked about twenty one who had very dark, spiky hair and an elfish face and a tall fair haired man, probably in his late twenties or early thirties who was walking towards them with one hand outstretched in greeting.

"Hello Officers. My name is Jasper Whitlock and this is my wife Alice. This is quite a surprise. Are you sure you have the right premises as my wife and I have nothing to hide. We run a legitimate business here. I assure you we will cooperate with you one hundred percent."

Seth cleared his throat. He wasn't used to such politeness. Normally in this situation he would receive a hostile response to a warrant, but Jasper was totally calm, almost as though he had been expecting them.

"Thank you for your co-operation Sir. My officers just want to take a look around, especially upstairs and on your roof. "

"Are you looking for anything in particular?"

"We think someone may have been hiding up there. We just want to check this out and if we don't find anything we won't bother you again."

"Really?" Jasper said and raised an eyebrow. "Well please do follow me and I will ensure you have full access to the upstairs offices, the attic and the roof. The rooms are mainly used for our archives and we don't go up there very often." He picked up a bunch of keys that were lying conveniently on the desk and gestured Seth and Bella to follow him.

They went from room to room on every floor of the three story block. Most of the rooms upstairs were filled with filing cabinets or office furniture. One office had a bed in it; "for when we get snowed in or have had too much to drink" Jasper explained with a grin.

On the top floor Bella asked to look out of the windows that looked over the street below. Jasper unlocked all the windows and Bella leaned out to see whether there was any evidence of wires or abseiling type devices attached to the wall, but there was nothing. She looked directly down to ground level and was convinced that no-one could have survived jumping from that height without assistance, so she thanked Jasper who closed and locked the windows and they all filed out of the room. Seth went up into the attic and climbed outside onto a small part of the roof that was completely flat, but there were no footprints up there or any other evidence to make them suspicious.

Bella made her way down to where Alice was working at her computer while Seth was talking to Jasper about the afternoon when Jacob was murdered. She watched her tapping figures onto a laptop with one hand as she gazed at lines of numbers and other financial information on another computer screen, the content of which resembled the type of screen that stock exchange traders stared at all day and which looked like gobble-di-gook to her.

"What do you do here, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Not at all" Alice responded cheerfully. "We are financial advisers mainly for charitable organisations but also for a number of individual philanthropists. We invest the money they raise via donations in stocks and shares and the charities use all the profit for their causes. We are usually quite successful with our investments and take a very small percentage as our salary so everyone is happy."

"So you bet on the market then?"

"Yes, sort of. But we study the market carefully Miss Swan, we make educated guesses on what is going to happen in the future and we invest where we think there is money to be made."

"How long have you been here Mrs ..."

"Whitlock. Many years, I honestly can't remember."

"You don't look old enough to have been here for many years. How old are you?"

"Sorry, I meant my family have been here for many years. I've only worked here about three."

Bella could hear Seth concluding the visit so she walked away from the desk. "Okay Mr. and Mrs. Whitlock, thank you for your co-operation. We're sorry to have troubled you."

They left the premises and heard Jasper lock the door behind them. Bella asked Seth to wait outside the building while she walked across the street and looked up at the facade. She gazed at it for a few minutes but there was absolutely nothing in front of the building that could break a fall and no evidence of anything protruding from the building that could have supported ropes or wires. She could see the CCTV camera fixed to the wall just above the second floor window and directly above it was the third floor window that she looked out of after Jasper unlocked it. There was nothing to show that someone had jumped either from the window or the roof, other than the image on the CCTV footage.

She walked across the road back to Seth and they made their way silently back to the squad car. Bella was watching her footing on the uneven sidewalk when she spotted the remnants of a chalk outline and she realised she was stepping over the exact spot where Jacob's body was dumped after he was murdered. An ice-cold shiver went down her back and she hurried forward to where the squad car was waiting for them and climbed in the back with Seth.

"You're quiet" he said after the car was almost back at her building. Bella hadn't said a word as they travelled back to the lab. "They seemed okay, nothing there to make me suspicious."

"I know Seth, but something's bothering me about those two and I can't put my finger on it."

"Like what?"

"I haven't done that many warrant searches Seth, but if I hadn't done anything wrong I would have been shocked and annoyed if a pack of policemen burst through the door with a warrant to search my premises, but those two acted like it was a totally normal everyday occurrence, almost like they were expecting us."

"Yes, I see your point and agree that they were acting too calmly, but remember we had asked for copies of their CCTV recordings when Victim 8 disappeared and also when Jacob was murdered, so maybe they had been expecting another visit?"

"That's true I suppose, but there's something else that isn't right and I just can't put my finger on it."

"Well let me know if it comes to you. If you like I'll do some background checks on Alice and Jasper Whitlock just to make sure they are who they say they are."

"That's good, but let me know if you find out anything juicy!"

Seth laughed. He had enjoyed working with Bella today and if she hadn't just tragically lost her fiancé he would have asked her for a date, but it was too soon since Jacob died so he would have to bide his time. He had worked with Jacob many times over the past three years, but had only seen Bella when he occasionally went up to the lab and he had always considered her to be 'hot' even with a white coat on, actually come to think of it, especially with a white coat on.

The car pulled up at Bella's building and they got out together. Seth helped her get her box of tricks out of the trunk and walked her up to the main entrance.

"Can we swop phone numbers Bella so that I can call you direct if I discover anything?"

"Sure" she said and they exchanged numbers and as Seth walked away he said "I'll be in touch Bella, see ya."

Bella staggered into the office with all the unused equipment to dump it off. It was already quite late and Victoria was nowhere to be found so she would save her report until tomorrow. "I might as well go home" she said to herself. She waved at Leah who was bent over a photograph looking at it through a massive magnifier and left the office.

Driving home she thought about the Whitlocks and how odd that whole experience was. She went over every second of the visit in her mind but couldn't figure out what was bothering her. Was it something Alice said? She didn't buy it when she backtracked after saying she had been there for years; that was odd, but it wasn't that. There was something else that was wrong. She hoped that Seth would come up with something in their background to prove that she wasn't imagining things.

That night she went to bed and lay there for a while thinking about Edward and then thinking about the Whitlocks. She tossed and turned, got up for a drink, went back to bed and lay there staring at the ceiling and then it hit her like a bolt of lightning. "Jesus, that's it!"

She switched on the bedside lamp and grabbed her phone that was on the nightstand. Her eyes hadn't got used to the glare so she was squinting at the screen trying to find Seth's number. She hit the call button and waited.

"What the fuck!"

"Seth, is that you?"

"Who the fuck is this?"

"It's Bella" She felt a bit guilty now, it was three o'clock in the morning.

"What's happened?"

"Miss Swan ... Alice Whitlock called me Miss Swan Seth."

"So what Bella, what's wrong with that."

"Seth, you never introduced me, how did she know my name?"

"Fuck, you're right!"

* * *

Jasper closed the door and bolted it, then watched as Seth, Bella and the other officer made their way to their car. He noticed several armed officers who had been hiding behind vehicles and in doorways come out from their cover and climb into an unmarked van which drove away at speed towards the city. When the street had returned to normal he made his way to the office where Alice was sitting in her chair with her feet on the desk.

"What's going through your mind Jasper, do you think they'll come back again?"

"I don't know darling. They must be suspicious of us and have a good reason to have got a warrant to come here today, especially as they haven't visited any other businesses down here as far as I know. At least you anticipated their visit which gave us time to sort out upstairs."

Alice grinned. "I have my uses sometimes. That girl, Miss Swan, she was very astute. Asked me some leading questions and I almost tripped up because I told her I had been here for years, but I covered myself and said the family had been here for years. I think she bought it."

"We have to be careful Alice, we mustn't draw attention to ourselves, especially now" Jasper replied. He didn't like any contact with the authorities as he always feared that someone may dig a little too deep into their past. They had created an elaborate history for themselves that was documented in government records, but anybody who really suspected they were not who they claimed to be would not have difficulty finding holes in their story.

"There's nothing here for them to find any more Jasper, it's all over. We can get on with our lives now and do what we've been doing for about ten more years here and then we'll move on like before." Alice stood up and embraced her husband who was still looking concerned. "Let's pack up for the day and either go home or make use of that bed upstairs."

Jasper's eyes lit up and he picked Alice up in his strong arms and sprinted up the stairs two at a time, then flung her onto the soft, bouncy bed. "I'll never get tired of you Alice Whitlock, not if I live for another two hundred years" he said and laughed as he ripped his clothes off and launched himself onto his wife's welcoming body.

* * *

Edward had lied to Annabel saying that he had to spend the night at the laboratory, but instead he had borrowed his uncle's house keys and had driven to his place by the sea to think and hopefully sleep. He couldn't face her just yet so he had called her to say he would be working into the night to meet an important deadline. Annabel wasn't able to hide her disappointment as the next day she would be going to her parent's house to finalise arrangements for their engagement party and she wouldn't see Edward for at least another three days, so their phone conversation was terse to say the least.

He sat on the deck with his feet dangling over the edge gazing out over the Atlantic Ocean as the last bit of light faded from the sky. The rush of the waves over the stony shoreline was the only sound to be heard other than the occasional cry of a seabird nesting in the dunes. The air was warm and moist and he was grateful that his uncle kept his fridge stocked with several different varieties of beer which he was slowly working through. Edward was on bottle number four by now and was just starting to relax.

Looking back over today's events, he was pleased that his uncle was so enthusiastic about helping him with the samples as he was eagerly anticipating finding the answers to this mystery. Anthony was already pressing him to go back to Seattle to collect a sample of the stone-like substance or, better still, bring the whole arm back to the lab, but he was loathe to do that for the moment as he needed time to think before he saw Bella again.

He had planned to call Bella today but had decided to wait until he had some news to tell her. Also he was at a loss what to say to her about what happened in the janitor's cupboard, even though he had re-lived it over and over in his mind. He knew deep down that he wasn't going to be able to stay away from her; he had to go back and have that experience again but preferably not surrounded by vacuum cleaners this time.

The overwhelming desire to be with her right now was a physical pain in his gut and he drew his knees up to his chest to relieve the agony. Bella held the key that unlocked something primal in him; a deep down urge that when he was in her presence he felt an overwhelming desire to possess her, control her and fuck her into the next century. When he had entered her for the first time, he had been totally consumed by the need to mate that nothing or no-one on earth could have stopped him having her and shooting his seed into her.

He put his hands up to his head and buried his fingers in his hair, squeezing his brain as if to try and remove this flaw in his make-up. He had the utmost respect for women; he had never, ever treated a woman as a sex-object. Even when he had had the occasional one-night-stand when he was at University, he always stayed with the girl until the morning. All his previous girlfriends he hoped would confirm how kind and considerate he was and he had never ever pressed them for sex when they weren't in the mood. Even Annabel, who was willing to have sex all day, every day, didn't have the power to make him feel like he did when he was with Bella. Was he 'in love' with her, or just 'in lust.' He would know for certain when he saw her again.

Bella wasn't even his 'type', in fact when he recalled his previous girlfriends, the vast majority were tall, athletic and blonde. She was the complete antithesis of Annabel, but everything felt right with Bella; when they were both stripped naked there was no embarrassment or awkwardness, they knew how to turn each other on, they were equally passionate and their bodies moved together like dancers.

Edward felt the urge to walk down to the water's edge so he jumped down from the deck onto the beach. The moon was up now and was casting a pale light onto the sea like the beam of a lighthouse. He kicked his shoes and socks off and felt the warm sand slide over his bare feet as he walked slowly across the beach until he felt dampness under his toes. Still clutching a beer bottle he stood at the point where the moonlight hit the shore and watched the waves crashing gently onto the silver sand. He knew that he had to make his mind up tonight, either to stay with Annabel and live a mediocre life or whether to do what Bella had the guts to do and break off his impending engagement.

"Oh God" he said to the moon as if she held the answer to his dilemma. "What the hell do I do?"


	13. CSI Seattle 13

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

As soon as Bella woke up she sent a text to Seth to apologise for disturbing him in the middle of the night for something that could have waited another four hours. He replied back with a "don't mention it" and a smiley face, which made Bella feel slightly less guilty.

She had managed to get a few hours sleep after the 'eureka moment' plus the aches in her muscles had almost gone so she could move relatively normally now without wincing, but Edward hadn't called like he'd promised and she was starting to feel anxious and maybe a wee bit abandoned, once again.

She needed to catch up on the backlog of cases in her lab so arrived at work early at around eight in the morning clutching a strong coffee and three breakfast bagels, one for Leah and two for herself. She was devouring the last crumb of the second one as Victoria came out of the elevator and walked past her doorway heading to her office looking harassed. She beckoned Bella to follow her then slung her bag and jacket into a heap in the corner and collapsed in her chair looking as though it was the end of a long day, not the beginning of a new one. "Tell me some good news again, please Bella" she begged.

Bella took a seat and recounted the events of yesterday's 'raid' on the Whitlocks, ending with the mystery of how Alice Whitlock knew her name. She also added that she had the feeling when she was in there that the Whitlocks had either been tipped off that their office was going to be searched or at least they were expecting to be singled out for further investigation, as the building was as clean as a whistle.

Victoria had listened to her account without interruption and mulled over what Bella had said for a few moments after Bella had stopped talking.

"Of course they may have recognised you from the newspapers and TV" she said. "Your face did appear quite a few times in the media when Jacob died; they may have remembered you." Victoria was playing devil's advocate here as she also thought it was strange that they would call her Miss Swan without being introduced.

"I suppose so, I'd never thought of that. Damn it." Bella replied sulkily. Her number one suspects were now looking slightly more innocent than a few minutes ago and she was a bit annoyed with herself that she hadn't considered that her own face might be recognisable.

"But you still haven't found out how that guy dropped down from their building though?" Victoria was disappointed that Bella found no evidence to solve that mystery.

"No, not a clue" Bella responded. "Seth is going to do background checks on the Whitlocks just in case they are well-know mountaineers or base-jumpers, but until then we have no reason to suspect them so we are back to square one, apart from having the back view of a guy who travels faster than the speed of light and who does not resemble Jasper Whitlock if you were wondering."

Victoria looked disappointed. She was counting on this search to bring something to light that they could base their investigation on but, as Bella said, they were no further forward. The only good news was that no-one had been reported missing overnight so now it was almost three weeks since the last disappearance.

Victoria was starting to consider that the killer had panicked after murdering Jacob because he had effectively been traced by the police, so it was now highly likely that he had moved on after the attack, killing the hiker in the Olympic National Park as one last atrocity to keep the city on lock down while he made his escape, but where to? Maybe he had crossed the border into Canada which was relatively easy if you had a boat she thought, or possibly he had gone south towards Oregon or California or maybe he had gone in totally the opposite direction, killing the hiker in the Park to start a false trail; Victoria thought ruefully that he could be anywhere by now.

She guessed that the Washington police to a man would be gutted if the killer had managed to escape capture in their own state, but Seattle had been in his stranglehold for over three months now and the strain was showing in every facet of life in the city, so if he had really gone then at least life could return to some sort of normality again she thought.

Victoria sighed and leaned over to switch her computer screen on, dreading the daily e-mails from waste-of-space politicians and her own superiors asking for updates on the non-existent progress. "Okay Bella, we'll wait to see what Seth and his team can come up with and go from there. By the way, I've been meaning to ask, what was the story about that arm you found in Forks?"

Bella was not expecting this question so had to think quickly. "It's in a storage box in the cold room Victoria. The Forks police are looking for the rest of the body, so until they find it there's nothing I can do. There was no evidence to show who it belonged to and no-one has reported an arm missing."

Victoria laughed out loud. "You would think someone would notice if they'd lost an arm, wouldn't you."

Bella got up as she thought now would be a good time to leave Victoria's office before she was questioned further. She didn't want to lie to her, and up until now she hadn't, just hadn't told her the complete story. "I'd better get back to work" she said and made a quick exit.

"Thanks Bella, just keep me up to speed on everything won't you?"

Bella went back to her lab and busied herself on routine investigation work that had been piling up in sealed boxes all around her. The promised help hadn't arrived yet, what a surprise, and she felt overwhelmed with everything that was going on in her life at the moment. She felt guilty that she hadn't been in touch with Billy since the funeral, which is something she had promised Jacob she would do at the graveside, so she resolved to try and see him next weekend and to take some of Jacob's possessions with her for Billy to distribute among the family.

She had been working for nearly an hour when her cell phone rang. It was Edward and Bella's heart fluttered when she heard his voice asking her how she was.

"I'm fine Edward, how are you. Did you have a good trip back?"

"Yes, it was okay. My uncle is working on the samples at the moment; he was very excited to have them and admired your self-control not to tell anyone. Have you spoken to anyone else by the way?"

"No, not yet, but I will have to eventually. You know that don't you?"

"Yes, but can you keep it to yourself for just for a while longer, until we've run our tests?"

"Sure, but Victoria asked me about it this morning and I had to side-track her. I don't like lying Edward, it's not how I work."

"I understand that Bella and I'm sorry you're in this spot, but this is really important and my uncle feels that only people who would appreciate and understand what your discovery is should know about it."

"You mean the Government?"

"No they are the last people I would tell; I think my uncle means highly trained independent scientists. If the government got hold of it, people in the scientific community would never find out what it was. It would disappear like the Ark of the Covenant in Raiders of the Lost Ark!"

Bella giggled when a vision of a security guard pushing the evidence box on a trolley into a warehouse filled with thousands of similar looking boxes came into her mind.

"Okay Edward, you've convinced me. How far have you got with your experiments?"

"Well my uncle suggested I did the ancestry tests to start with, but I haven't been successful. They are best done with blood or saliva and I don't have either, so I am going to try to extract DNA from the samples to see whether he is on the national database."

"How would you find that out without going to the police?"

"We have ways Bella. Don't ask me how and I won't tell you any lies."

"Oh come on Edward, you can't leave me like that, I won't tell."

Edward thought about what he could tell her and decided to be honest. "Okay, we employ a number of highly trained IT specialists who are constantly checking our systems for breaches of security to protect our discoveries. Of course if they are that skilled, they are also skilled at hacking into, sorry I mean, accessing information from other sources as and when needed."

"That's illegal Edward."

"Not if you don't use the information for your own financial gain or send it on elsewhere apparently, but I'm not an expert."

Bella wasn't convinced. That sounded very dodgy to her but she wasn't going to do anything about it as she wanted answers just as much as Edward.

There was an awkward silence as both Bella and Edward were trying to think of what to say next. Neither of them wanted to mention their tryst in the cupboard but the idiom 'elephant in the room' was highly appropriate right at this moment.

Bella thought of something to say. "Thanks for the suggestion about slowing the DVD down, we saw something we hadn't seen before on one of the CCTV discs and we followed it up yesterday."

"Oh that's great. What was it?"

"A guy jumping from a third floor window without ropes or wires."

"Is he dead?"

"No, he disappeared at the same time as the eighth victim, we think he is the killer."

"That's impossible."

"I know, we've been back to the building and interviewed the occupants, who are a bit weird admittedly, but found no useful evidence."

Edward thought about what he was going to say next as he didn't want Bella to have sleepless nights or anything like that.

"Bella, have you ever considered that strange, out of this world things are happening in Seattle at the moment, almost supernatural."

"What do you mean?"

"Just think about what has happened in the past few months, you've had eleven people murdered by someone who is behaving like a vampire, you've found an arm that looks like it should belong to an alien, you've had people jumping from three story buildings and surviving. Has anything else weird happened that I don't know about?"

"Edward, how did you know that the murderer was behaving like a vampire?"

"Oh shit" Edward said. He had been rumbled and he had to own up.

"Don't be mad at me, but I read your notebook when you were in the ladies room in the restaurant."

"What! That was so wrong of you Edward."

"I know, I'm sorry but I couldn't help it. Curiosity got the better of me and I was worried about you as well."

"I can look after myself."

"So could Jacob apparently."

"That's a low blow Edward."

"I'm sorry but I'm worried about you putting yourself in danger Bella. You said you went back to the building where you saw the guy jump off the roof, anything could have happened."

"But it didn't."

"But it could have."

"Why are you worried about me anyway?"

"Because I don't want to lose you."

"Am I yours to lose Edward?"

"I don't know, that's up to you."

"No, it's up to you. I want you, you know that, but you have a girlfriend so I'm not under any illusion that I am not the other woman here."

"You're not the other woman Bella, I finished with Annabel this morning. I saw her before she left Hartford for her parents place in Rhode Island. I didn't tell you before, but I had asked her to marry me a few weeks ago and we were due to get officially engaged at a party in two weeks time, but I realised last night that I couldn't go through with it. If I'd have truly loved her, I wouldn't have done what I did with you."

Bella's heart skipped a beat and suddenly she felt light-headed. "I'm so sorry Edward, I didn't mean to mess up your life like this."

"Don't apologise Bella, we knew what we were doing. Tell me something, if Jacob had still been alive two days ago, would you have let me strip you naked then let me fuck you without thinking twice whether what you were doing was wrong?"

"Yes, without hesitation Edward, I've wanted you so much for so long and I knew you would make me feel alive again."

"Then don't feel sorry for me Bella. I've made my decision. I need you so much that I am tempted to get on a plane right now so that I can have you again and again. I'm going to be honest with you, I don't know if I am in love with you yet, but you do something to me that I can't explain."

Bella was astonished at the frankness of his words. She had almost forgotten she was sitting in her lab as she was squirming on her seat and could feel the wetness building up between her legs. When he said that he wanted her again and again she could feel him inside of her and she had to put her hand over her mouth to stop herself from moaning. She could see Leah giving her funny looks through the glass partition and she smiled and nodded her head pretending she was having a conversation with her mother.

"I need you too Edward, I'll be here ready and waiting whenever you want me. I'm yours, body and soul, I can't stop thinking about you."

She heard Edward cough and she wondered where he was making the call from. She sincerely hoped he was on his own and hadn't forgotten where he was as she had just done.

"My uncle would like a sample of the stone substance so if that's okay, I could fly over at the weekend."

"I've a lot of stuff to catch up on but that would be wonderful." That's Billy put off again she thought but she was desperate to see Edward.

"Be careful then Bella, stay out of trouble. I couldn't bear to lose you."

"I will Edward. Let me know your arrangements and I'll collect you from the airport."

"I'll get a cab Bella, I don't think your truck will make the journey to SeaTac."

"Don't diss my truck Masen."

"Okay Swan, but I'll still get a cab."

* * *

Edward switched his phone off and remained lying on his bed for a few more moments. It was just past midday in Connecticut and he was in his house now on his own, having travelled up from the beach early in the morning to do the deed. Annabel had left about an hour ago after a screaming argument where ornaments, pictures and his sound system had been thrown at him before she stormed out of the house, yelling abuse and finally running her key down the side of his Volvo.

Edward had been completely honest with her, telling her he couldn't go through with the engagement because he had met an old flame by chance in Seattle and realised he still had feelings for her. After about half an hour of Annabel pleading with him and trying to convince him that he would forget her, he reluctantly told her that they had sex and that was when the Hi-Fi was torn away from the wall and hurled in his direction.

After Annabel left, Edward phoned her parents and explained why he couldn't go through with the engagement and that he was truly sorry for the hurt he had caused their daughter. He offered to pay for any expenses that had already been incurred for the party, but her father said that wouldn't be necessary and wished him luck for the future. Her parents were decent people and he bitterly regretted causing them distress. A week ago he thought that he could see the path his life was going to take, but he couldn't have foreseen the twists and turns that were waiting for him.

He was tempted to call the airport now as he wanted to be with Bella desperately, but he was also keen to get back to the lab to see what progress had been made. His uncle had not been very forthcoming yesterday evening when he had asked him what sort of tests he would be running on the samples and he was starting to suspect that he may be excluded from the investigations. He knew his uncle did not intend to consult with any of his senior colleagues and since Edward had presented him with the samples yesterday morning, he hadn't left the laboratory.

He cleared up the broken picture frames, bits of china and of course his Hi-Fi that was smashed to smithereens, but he smiled ruefully thinking that it was cheaper to replace these items than to go through an expensive divorce a few years down the line. While he was tipping the rubbish into the trash bin in the yard, he realised that all the time he was with Annabel he had accepted that the relationship wasn't perfect. He was content, but he wasn't blissfully happy, but then he never expected to be.

Annabel had ticked all the boxes as far as being a 'perfect future wife' was concerned, but he knew for certain now that he didn't want a Stepford Wife; he wanted a girl like Bella, a bit rough at the edges, not image-conscious or obsessed with self, but a normal everyday girl but who was intelligent enough to challenge him but, most importantly, a girl who could touch his soul and breathe fire in bed.

He locked the house up and examined his car with a shrug. He was going to buy a new one soon anyway so he wasn't too bothered. If damaging it made Annabel feel better then it was worth the expense. Possessions weren't important to him, probably because he had never been poor. The only thing he had lacked in his life was not having his mother's love throughout his formative years, but that wasn't her fault, that was bad luck and faulty genes.

He drove off towards the lab and was soon being saluted through the barrier by the guard. He parked in his usual spot next to the Porsche, let himself into the building with his swipe card and wandered down to his uncle's lab saying hello to the admin staff who were at their desks. He knocked on the door as usual and tried the handle but it was locked. The blinds had been pulled down over the glass so he couldn't see whether his uncle was in so he knocked again, this time a bit louder but got no response.

He walked back to the office and poked his head round the door. Jane was sitting at her computer processing invoices as usual. "Have you seen Professor Masen today Jane?"

"No Dr. Masen, apparently he slept in his lab last night and hasn't been out of there all morning."

"He's not answering his door and it's locked from the inside."

"Maybe he doesn't want to be disturbed Dr. Masen, you know what he's like when he gets his teeth into something. I've known him be in there for two weeks without going home."

Edward was concerned first and annoyed second. His uncle could have had a fall or a heart attack and be lying on the floor and nobody would know, which is what concerned him, but what was more likely was that he was carrying out experiments on his own, intending to take all the credit for whatever he discovered for himself and that made Edward's blood boil.

He marched back down to the lab and banged on the door with his fist. "Uncle, open this door or I'll break it down." He listened at the door for any signs of life but couldn't hear anything. He banged on the door again.

"I'm counting to ten, then I'm going to kick the door in. One, Two, Three ..."

The blind on the other side of the door snapped up and Edward saw his uncle's face appear. He was shocked because it was obvious that he hadn't washed or shaved and his eyes were red-rimmed, probably through lack of sleep.

"You can't come in Edward, I don't want the experiment contaminated."

"That's bullshit uncle, let me in, I want to see what you're doing."

"No Edward, you're not coming in – leave me alone or I'll call security and have you removed."

"You'll do what? Remember uncle, those are my samples are mine, I brought them in."

"Everything that is brought into this building is mine Edward, do you hear me, mine. I own this facility, not you, so back off and leave me alone."

With that, he pulled the blinds shut and Edward heard him walk away from the door.

Edward was shaking with rage, "how dare he do this" he muttered to himself. He had brought his uncle something that had never been seen in nature before and then had the door effectively slammed in his face, but why? They had always worked as a team since Edward joined the lab; his uncle treated him as his heir-apparent, so why was he shutting him out now? Had he discovered where this arm had come from already and didn't want to share the information yet? Whatever, Edward was determined not to be left out of the loop; he knew where to get hold of more samples and he was going to do his own experiments. Fuck his uncle, he was going to Seattle and win his own Nobel Prize.

He left the building without speaking to anyone and roared off in his car in the direction of his house. Within half an hour he had booked himself on the five o'clock flight to Seattle, packed a holdall and was on his way to the airport in a cab. He would get to SeaTac at about nine o'clock local time and would go straight to Bella's. He knew where she lived because he had got one of the IT guys to look up her details on the police database.

He knew damn well it was highly illegal but, quite frankly, he couldn't give a fuck.


	14. CSI Seattle 14

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN**

Edward checked in and sat in the lounge to wait. He had about an hour to kill so he gave his father a call to let him know about Annabel. Carlisle answered on the third ring.

"Hello son, long time no hear. How are you and your beautiful fiancé?"

"Umm ... that's why I'm calling Dad, we broke up, well I called it off."

"But why Edward, I thought you were so happy?"

"So did I, but something happened that made me realise I was making a mistake."

"You've met someone else." Carlisle was very astute.

"Yes, but it's early days yet, I'd rather not talk about it."

"Ok son, I'm not going to lecture you because you're old enough to make your own mistakes."

"Thanks Dad"

"How's work Edward, and how's that obsessed brother of mine, still living in his laboratory?"

Edward laughed grimly. "You can say that again, I'm pretty angry with him at the moment."

Edward told Carlisle about the discovery of the arm and the samples, even though he had made a promise to Anthony not to say anything. He knew his father wouldn't discuss this with anyone but he didn't care and he didn't feel guilty because his uncle had betrayed him professionally. Carlisle was fascinated with his story because he was still a scientist first and a doctor second and he could understand why his brother would immerse himself in solving this mystery and, knowing how competitive he was, wasn't surprised that he would want to take the credit for himself.

"So what are you going to do about it Edward?"

"I'm at the airport Dad. I'm flying to Seattle to get new samples and do my own experiments to find out what this arm is made of. I'll keep you informed of progress."

"So it's a race then."

"You could say that; I'm two days behind Anthony already, but he hasn't got a sample of the stone-like substance, which evens things out."

"Well good luck then and have fun with your new girl as well."

"How did you know" Edward groaned. His father had always had the uncanny ability to read his mind.

"You've just come back from Seattle, you break off your engagement and you're on the first plane back there – I wasn't born yesterday Edward and even I was young once."

Edward chuckled. "Thanks Dad, I'll try to have fun, but work comes first."

"Not all the time Edward, love and family are more important than work. I spent too much time at the lab and at the hospital when I should have been with your mother, and you come to think of it. Don't ever put your job first; the people you love are far more important. I would gladly give up the rest of my life just to have one more day with your mother as she was, before she became ill."

Edward was taken aback by his father's words as he had never spoken about his mother like this before and he was saddened that his father regretted his past so deeply.

"Thanks for the advice Dad. I wish we could do something for Mom, but I know we can't and I'm sorry. I'll phone you from Seattle and keep you updated, but please don't tell Anthony where I am even though he will probably guess."

"Okay son, have a good trip and I know I don't say this very often, but I love you and I'm very proud of you."

Edward thanked his Dad and mumbled "I love you too" and then switched his phone off. "Weird" he thought. His father was not the type to express his emotions in words and this was very out of character for him.

His flight was called and soon he was in his comfortable business class seat with a double whiskey and soda to knock him out. He fell asleep quickly even though it was only early evening EST, but he had been awake most of the previous night rehearsing what he was going to say to Annabel and he was exhausted.

* * *

He landed at SeaTac in the middle of a summer storm that was directly overhead. Warm rain that smelt of the sea was lashing the sidewalk as he left the airport and flashes of lightning followed immediately by the crash of thunder assaulted his senses. The air was crackling around him as he slid onto the back seat of the cab and he realised with wry amusement that he had left a storm of anger and emotions behind him in Connecticut only to fly into a different type of storm in Seattle. He gave the driver Bella's address, switched his cell back on and phoned her number. She answered straight away.

"Hi Edward, you're calling late. It must be past midnight where you are."

"Yeah well I've been busy today. What are you doing this evening?"

"Just watching some TV, thought I'd have an early night. We're in the middle of a storm here and it sounds like you are too?"

"Um …. Just hang on there Bella." Edward put his hand over the phone for a few seconds, shit, that could have given him away. "Can I call you back, just give me fifteen minutes."

"Err ok."

Edward hung up and congratulated himself on his ruse to find out whether Bella was at home. He would be there shortly and the anticipation was starting to build up inside of him, unfortunately physically as well as mentally. He hoped the driver wouldn't notice that he had a raging hard-on when he got out of the car.

He had never been to Bella's apartment before so didn't know what to expect. He guessed she had shared it with Jacob and when he arrived on the doorstep, he had the fleeting feeling he was invading another man's territory, even though the other man was dead. He pressed the buzzer to apartment two and waited a few seconds until he heard Bella speaking into the intercom.

"Urgent delivery for Bella Swan" he said, trying to disguise his voice. He heard the sound of the buzzer release and he pushed the heavy door open leading into the lobby clutching his bag and a bunch of flowers he had bought at the airport. He would have to speak to Bella about being too trusting – this was too easy.

He knocked on her door and heard the intake of breath and a gasp; Bella had obviously seen him through the spy hole in the door. He heard the chain being taken off and Bella muttering expletives, then the door was flung open by a shocked Bella, who was standing there wearing a bath robe covered in Disney characters and a pair of Tigger slippers.

"Edward!" was all she could say, as she looked at the bedraggled man standing in front of her as his hair and jacket were wet from the rain. He walked in without saying anything, put his bag and the flowers down on the floor, shut the door behind him with a bang and pulled Bella towards him, kissing her lips, then her eyes, then around her neck, then he forced his tongue into her mouth and covered her lips with his.

Bella undid the rope around her waist and her robe fell open. She had just had a shower so was naked underneath and she was desperate to feel his hands on her body. She let the robe fall to the floor and kicked off her slippers then took hold of one of Edward's hands and placed it on her breast. Edward moaned in gratitude and squeezed it gently in his hand then rolled her nipple in between his fingers until it was hard.

"Bedroom" he grunted and he picked Bella up in his arms and headed down the hallway. He kicked the obvious door open and strode across the room placing Bella in the middle of the bed, then he stood at the end of it looking down at her naked body.

Bella could see the outline of his erection through his pants so she knew he was ready for her but she wanted him frantic, so she opened her legs wide in front of him and bent her knees up so he could see what was waiting for him. She ran her hands over her breasts and squeezed her nipples then licked her lips slowly. "Get your clothes off Masen and come and take what's yours" she said provocatively then she licked her fingers and slid her hands down her body until her fingers were between her legs then she pushed one finger into herself.

"Jesus Fucking Christ" Edward muttered as he watched Bella tease and taunt him. He grabbed hold of her legs and pulled her towards him roughly then threw her ankles over his shoulders. Holding Bella down with one hand on her chest, he undid his pants and pulled his cock out that was fully erect and as hard as titanium. "You want this do you Bella, you want me to fuck you with this do you?" he growled.

"Yes Edward, I do, so fucking do it" she screamed as he plunged into her up to the hilt. He was still fully clothed but he didn't give a fuck, he was going to have her now, hard and fast, and then he was going to have her again and again. He didn't have a plane to catch this time.

His thrusts were punishing; Bella was pinned under him as he had bent her double so that her legs were above her ears. She was moaning and crying out every time he slammed into her and her head was thrashing from side to side from a combination of exquisite pain and ecstasy. He was now holding her arms down so she was completely under his command and control and she loved it. His cock had found the spot in her body that sent her into a frenzy and she felt her orgasm building up inside of her like a volcano. She allowed the sensation to take control of her senses and as she came she screamed out his name while Edward continued to thrust into her body.

Bella was shuddering with the force of her orgasm as the walls of her vagina clamped down on his cock, sending him onto the next level of abandonment. Watching Bella come apart underneath him was the most carnal thing he had ever witnessed and he wanted to memorise that image so that he could replay it for the rest of his life. His body was on fire now and he was amazed that the clothes on his back weren't smouldering.

Bella's body had moved up the bed due to the force of his thrusts so Edward pulled her upright with his cock still in her so she was straddling his legs. She felt tiny and limp in his arms which made him feel like a giant, physically and mentally, and this turned him on even more. "You're mine Bella, your body and your soul are all mine" he growled and he kissed her roughly on her lips then forced her mouth open with his tongue. His arms were wrapped tightly around her body as he rammed his cock into her from below, thrusting as far into her as he could. "Come with me this time Bella, I want you to come again" he cried as he slammed into her, this time swivelling his hips to increase the sensation causing Bella to cry out in pleasure. "Come now" he ordered as he exploded into her just as he felt the evidence of her second orgasm rippling underneath his fingertips and her vagina relaxing and contracting, milking his cock of everything he had to give. He continued thrusting into her as his orgasm abated then he sunk his teeth into her shoulder as he wanted to mark her as his own.

He held her close to him and ran his fingers through her damp hair, raining soft gentle kisses on her face while she whimpered and cried as she came back down to earth. Her limbs were flaccid and she wrapped herself around him like a rag doll. He was overwhelmed by the force of his release and he wanted to stay inside of her forever, but he was sweating profusely as he was still fully clothed, even though his pants were below his hips now. With his strong arms he lifted Bella off his cock and held her body close like a father would hold his child. She snuggled into him and buried her face in his neck as Edward shuffled up the bed so that he could support his back against the headboard.

He looked down at the girl he had just fucked mercilessly and was shocked that once again, without thought or hesitation, he had behaved like a wild animal with her and had possibly overstretched or hurt her, but she had taunted and encouraged him, knowing full well what he would do and he knew deep down that she wanted it that way, just as much as he did. They both had 'passion' buttons and they had both been well and truly turned up all the way to maximum.

He stroked some strands of hair away from her face and brushed away the dampness that was on her cheek then he bent forward and tenderly kissed her forehead as Bella opened her eyes and looked up at him.

"Hi Edward"

"Hi Bella"

"You're here early"

"I know"

"Why"

"I needed you"

"And?"

Edward looked a bit embarrassed. "I need some more samples urgently Bella, it's a long story why I need more and I'll tell you tomorrow, but honestly I haven't stopped thinking about you and not being with you was destroying me, I had to come."

Bella ran her hand over his face. "I feel the same Edward, I don't know what's happening to me, the feelings I have for you are so intense."

As she lay there in his arms Bella gazed at his face with wonder. She recalled the teenage boy that she had sat next to in class and he looked like him now. His hair was all over the place, his clothes were a mess and his face looked tired and thin. She kissed him gently on the lips then rested her head on his chest as she played with his shirt buttons. She was completely naked lying on a fully clothed man but she didn't feel awkward at all, she was totally relaxed like this and she wanted to stay in his protective arms forever, however she was feeling a bit sticky below and she didn't want to mess his clothes so she carefully stood up and went into the bathroom to clean herself up.

Edward followed her and turned the shower on to warm up. Bella helped him undress and they both stood in the shower together relishing the warm water cascading down from above. This was Bella's second shower in less than an hour so she poured some body wash into her palms and slowly massaged Edward's shoulders and limbs while he leaned forward with his hands flat against the wall. Her touch was gentle and soothing and she covered every inch of his body, tenderly pressing her fingers and thumbs into his muscles to relieve his tension. She was tempted to take him in her mouth as he was semi-erect again, but she resisted because he looked shattered.

She pulled him out of the shower and they towelled each other dry then she led him back to her bedroom, pulled the cover off her bed and they climbed in together. Edward held her in his arms and stared down at her head that was resting on his chest, marvelling at how this girl could ignite such strong feelings in him. Her skin was soft as silk and her hair smelt of summer rain, her touch was mesmerising and her body was a perfect fit. "Oh God, he wanted her again."

He pushed himself up onto one arm and stared directly into her eyes. Bella knew instinctively what he desired and she wrapped her arms around his neck, basically giving him carte blanche to do what he liked with her body. He rolled over on top of her and pushed himself in slowly as Bella cried out in pleasure, arching her back away from the bed. This time his movements were slow and measured; he was going to savour the feel and taste of her, to read the movements of her body, to memorise every curve, to witness her orgasm and then wonder what he had done to deserve this glimpse of heaven.

His pace gradually increased but nothing like the intensity of before. His arms were either side of her head and he was watching her face intently as she in turn watched his. The storm was moving away but every so often a flash of lightning would illuminate her face and he could see the look of love radiating back at him from her eyes and he was fulfilled.

The burn was building up inside of him and he whispered in Bella's ear "come with me if you can." He thrust himself into her twice more as he released into her then he collapsed on top of her in pride and blissful contentment as he felt Bella's third orgasm wash over her like a wave.

After he felt Bella finally relax in his arms, he raised himself up over her then kissed her passionately, taking her lips into his mouth and sucking them and then he took her head between his hands before thrusting his tongue in her mouth again. He couldn't get enough of her; he just wanted this night to go on and on, but eventually he pulled out of her and they lay under the sheets in a gentle embrace, listening to the last of the storm rumbling away in the distance.

* * *

During the night Edward woke up and looked at the clock next to the bed. It was half past four, which was equivalent to half past seven on the East Coast; no wonder he was awake he thought. Bella was fast asleep next to him but only her legs were covered with the duvet, the rest of her naked body was lying there on show and he had to turn away in order to control himself.

He realised that he was probably lying in the bed where Bella and Jacob must have had sex many times and he suddenly felt uncomfortable. In the corner of the room last night he had noticed bags and boxes of his stuff piled up against the wall and he wondered what Bella was going to do with it all. He hated the thought of Bella being intimate with anybody other than himself, but he thought guiltily that at least Jacob wasn't on the scene any more.

He was just starting to doze off again when he heard something move in the room and saw two eyes staring at him in the dim light. "Jesus Christ" he shouted and shot out of bed, waking Bella up in the process.

"What's the matter Edward" Bella said, rubbing her eyes and trying to brush her hair away from her face at the same time.

"I saw some eyes staring at me Bella, I'm sure they were there."

Bella looked at him incredulously and then started to laugh uncontrollably. "That was Molly."

"Who the fuck is Molly?"

"My cat"

"Oh God, I nearly had a heart attack. I didn't know you had a cat."

"Who did you think it was?"

"Never mind – I was half asleep."

"Come back to bed Edward, we've got a busy day tomorrow."

Edward got back into bed and tried to relax while his heart rate returned to normal. He didn't believe in ghosts but for a split second he thought Jacob was in the room haunting him.

He turned towards Bella and gathered her in his arms and kissed her on top of her head. Jacob's spirit may be in this room he thought but he was the man in her life and her bed now and he had no intention of moving on for the foreseeable future. He felt Bella's lips and hands brushing across his chest soothing and relaxing him and eventually he slipped back into a deep and dreamless sleep.


	15. CSI Seattle 15

**CHAPTER FIFTEEN**

They were woken a few hours later by a persistent hungry cat who was prodding Bella with her paw until she got up to feed her. After Molly had her breakfast, Edward was formally introduced and all was forgiven. Over their own breakfast Edward related to Bella what had happened since he left Seattle and why he thought his uncle had effectively thrown him out of the lab.

"I'm really sorry I confided in him now Bella" Edward said. "He was like a man possessed when I last saw him, almost like a caricature of a Mad Professor. It was quite disturbing."

"Do you think he has already made a discovery?"

Edward shook his head. "I don't know, I think it's too soon, but I think he knows what he's looking for and he wants the credit just for himself when he discovers it. I've never seen him like this before, it was quite a shock."

"Are you angry Edward?"

"I was at first, but now I am curious about his objectives and concerned about his state of mind. For him to change like that almost overnight, something must have happened to trigger that sort of reaction. Until yesterday he treated me like a son first and a tutor second and he relished sharing every new discovery with me, then he turned on me like I was his enemy. I totally trusted him but now I don't feel like I know him anymore."

Bella could see from Edward's expressions that he was totally bewildered by his uncle's actions. "Do you think he may be genuinely trying to protect you from what he might discover?"

Edward gave that some thought and then shook his head. "I don't think so, as I said I think it's too soon for him to have completed any experiments. You should have seen him Bella, he was like a child who had stolen a toy and was refusing to give it back as he was convinced it was his now. The whole situation was so out of character.

"So you want to do your own investigations then and try and guess what he's on to."

"Yes, I suppose so, but we still have to try to find out who this guy was and what had happened to him. I feel a bit out of my depth, but I'll do my best with whatever equipment Rosalie's lab has for me to use."

The plan was to ask Rosalie and her boss whether Edward could use the University's lab to do some research on behalf of the police. Bella was sure she would agree as the students and most of the academic staff had gone home for the summer recess and the labs would be quiet now. First they had to get Edward into the cold storage room to extract more samples from the arm. Neither of them were looking forward to this but it needed to be done and the sooner the better.

Bella got up from the table and picked up the bowls and plates to put in the dishwasher. She couldn't help wincing as she moved away from the table and Edward was mortified that he may have hurt her last night.

"Are you okay Bella; are you sore?"

"I'm fine Edward, but remind me to cancel my gym membership today – I don't think I'm going to need it anymore."

Edward jumped up from the table and put his arms around her. "I'm so sorry Bella, I can't control myself when I'm with you. I'm like an animal on heat and the beast inside of me takes over as soon as I see you."

"Don't apologise Edward, I love what you do to me. You're the most passionate man I've ever met and when you dominate me it turns me on so much."

Edward lifted her off the floor and their lips met in a frantic kiss. Their tongues entwined and Bella wrapped her legs around him as they clung to each other, exploring each other's mouths with their tongues as their fingers grabbed handfuls of each other's hair. They both knew where this was heading as Edward started walking in the direction of the bedroom.

"Edward, I've got to go to work" Bella panted. She knew if they ended up in the bedroom they wouldn't leave it for a long time. She was highly aroused again but duty called and she had to resist the temptation to be ravished again by Edward. Maybe later in the janitor's cupboard if the opportunity arose she thought, trying to convince herself that she was doing the right thing now!

Edward reluctantly put her down and grinned. "Sorry, couldn't help myself" then he slapped her on the bottom as she turned away from him.

"Not that sort of dominant" she said and wagged her finger at him. She had seen too many cases where a bit of fun had escalated into violent assaults with tragic consequences and she couldn't understand why anybody would want to be spanked, whipped or beaten for pleasure.

They dressed and left for the lab in Bella's truck. Edward hung on to the seat fearing for his life as Bella negotiated the busy streets speeding along as though she was being chased by the mob. Edward resolved to hire a car as soon as possible as he couldn't cope with that sort of excitement too often.

Bella signed Edward in as a visitor and they made their way up to the labs where Bella deposited her bags and picked up some specimen jars from her store. After saying Hi to Leah, they made their way down to the cold storage room where Bella unlocked the drawer and Edward lifted the evidence box out onto the bench.

"Ready?" he said.

"Okay, go for it" Bella replied nervously.

She pulled the tape away from the seals and Edward removed the lid. The arm was as they left it and it wasn't showing any sign of deterioration as yet so Edward lifted it out by its clothing and laid it on the bench while Bella stood by armed with a scalpel and a role of tape.

Edward opened the first sample jar while Bella removed some hair and follicles from just above the wrist and dropped them in the jar. She did the same with some fingernail, which was a bit more difficult as the nail was quite brittle.

Bella moved to the other end of the arm and started scraping pieces of the stone like substance into a dish. It was surprisingly fragile and she managed to get a fair bit in including some big lumps before Edward said he was sure that was enough. She snapped the lid on the jar and put it with the others.

Edward was holding tweezers ready to grip the skin that was flapping over the joint, but Bella passed him the scalpel and said "would you do it" as she suddenly felt squeamish. He took the scalpel and sliced off a similar amount as before and as he did that, the middle finger suddenly moved and went from being clenched to pointing straight ahead.

Bella flung her hand over her mouth to stop herself screaming and Edward nearly dropped the sample in shock. He hurriedly placed it in the jar and went to grab the arm. As he did that, all the fingers splayed out straight, then clenched again, then it dug its nails into the surface of the bench and started clawing its way forward heading for the edge.

"Holy Shit" Edward cried and grabbed the arm with both hands, holding it down on the bench. He could feel resistance under the clothing and for the first time, he felt a life force under his fingers. "Get the fucking lid ready" he yelled then he picked up the arm and threw it forcefully into the box. He didn't manage to get it all the way in as two of the fingers caught hold of the edge in mid-flight and were gripping the sides, so he had to manhandle the arm into the box while Bella stood there shaking with fear.

He slammed the lid on and Bella sprung forward to help secure it and went overboard with the tape again. He carried the box over to the drawer and locked it then leaned back against the wall of metal drawers while he regained his composure.

"You are not to take that out again unless I'm here Bella, understand?"

Bella nodded her head vigorously unable to speak. Edward walked over to her and put his arms around her, holding her until she stopped shaking and then he realised he was shaking as well.

"You okay now?" he said and Bella nodded. "Let's get some caffeine in you and then we'll go and see Rosalie."

They gathered up the samples and walked back to the lab trying to compute what they had just witnessed. While Bella phoned Rosalie, Edward got her some coffee and a chocolate bar so he could get some sugar into her as well and within half an hour they were on their way to the campus.

* * *

Carlisle had been thinking all night about the conversation he had just had with his son. He didn't need family trauma right now after what he had just learned from his doctor and it upset him to think that Edward and Anthony had fallen out.

He was fascinated by the discovery of what sounded like an alien form of life and like Edward and his brother was pleased that its existence was still unknown to the authorities; it was a known fact that once government scientists got hold of the evidence of anything unusual, the general scientific community would not be given any more information and it would more than likely become a state secret. He thought back to the hoo-ha surrounding the Roswell incident and what a cock-up that was trying to keep that under wraps. If that type of incident happened again in the 21st century he thought, the pictures would be all over the internet within hours and no amount of whitewash could conceal that type of event in the future.

He wasn't sorry that Edward and Annabel had split up as he had kept it to himself that he couldn't see the marriage lasting more than a few years. He had pretended to be delighted when the families were told, but he thought deep down that Edward had just decided that the time was right to get married and Annabel was the right sort of girl who was in the right place at the right time, but Carlisle knew his son and he anticipated that he would have soon got bored with her.

He thought about the connection he had with Edward's mother. It was love at first sight and they were married within six months of meeting when she was nineteen and he was twenty one. They were sexually insatiable at first and even though he had not had that much experience with women before meeting her, he knew that she had been put on this earth for him and he had found his true mate.

Despite their active sex life Edward didn't arrive on the scene until they had been married almost ten years. They had given up trying to conceive naturally and had put their names down as prospective adoptive parents. They had one interview with a Counsellor then they found out that a baby was on the way when they went for their medical check-ups. Carlisle chuckled to himself when he remembered taking his wife home and sitting with her for hours until she recovered from the shock. Edward arrived in the world seven months later and they thought life was perfect.

Carlisle recalled coming home one day when Edward was almost two and finding his wife sitting on the floor, surrounded by every pot and pan in their kitchen. She had been getting more and more forgetful ever since Edward was born and she had had two minor car wrecks as well. He decided then that she should see a specialist as he suspected a metabolic in-balance, possibly caused by her pregnancy.

They visited many eminent specialists over the next five years until they received the final diagnosis of early on-set dementia. Carlisle had recently re-trained as a surgeon and this devastating news prompted him to specialise in neurology, specifically to see whether he could do anything for his wife, but of course it was too late.

By the time Edward was ten it became impossible for his mother to live at home, even with help, so Carlisle reluctantly moved her into a nursing home. Edward was old enough to realise that his mother was ill but couldn't accept that she wasn't going to get any better and this had a traumatic effect on him. From being a happy, outgoing boy, he climbed into his shell and turned his attention to books and studying, staying in his room every evening and over the weekends, only appearing for meals or mandatory visits from grandparents.

Carlisle accepted now that he had neglected Edward emotionally when he was growing up. Because Edward had become self-sufficient at an early age he had left him to his own devices while he got on with becoming a skilled and highly respected surgeon. He regretted this bitterly now, especially as for the first time since Edward became an adult they were enjoying each other's company and were spending more time together, but now it was too late. He was fifty-nine years old but knew that there was a good chance he wouldn't see his sixtieth birthday. He definitely wouldn't see sixty one and he didn't know how he was going to break this news to Edward.

He wasn't frightened of dying; he had seen many patients pass away since becoming a doctor, however it had always been his wish to outlive his wife. He wanted to be with her at the end, but she had been so well looked after by the nursing home that she was still hanging on to life, if you could call it that. She was very frail now and looked older than her 57 years, but he could still see the girl he married in her face and her hair was still the most beautiful auburn colour, like Edward's. Just occasionally when they made eye contact he would see a spark of memory flicker across her face; he still loved her as much as the day he married her.

Carlisle was determined about one thing, he was going to sort this problem out between Anthony and Edward while he was still able to stand upright and not rely on pain killing drugs to function. He got in his car and drove to the laboratory and was saluted through the gate as normal. He parked his car by the lake and walked into the building. The conversation he was going to have with his brother was going to be very interesting.

* * *

Bella dropped Edward off at the University and drove off to meet Seth. He had called while she was driving and asked her to come in to his office as he had some information about the Whitlocks. She approached the building where Seth was based and was waved through to park in the underground car park.

Seth's department was on the second floor and as she walked through the busy open plan office, the noise in the room was deafening in her ears. How could he work like this? Her lab was quiet and peaceful, apart from when Leah let out a yell of "Yeah Baby" whenever she made an important discovery. Seth's open plan 'office' was quite like the New York Stock Exchange when the bell went, phones ringing, people shouting, printers printing and all the other noises associated with a busy police department.

She saw Seth standing up from his desk waving her over. Thankfully he had his own glass-walled office and it had a door! Bella walked in and shut it behind her which diluted the outside noise by about fifty percent. Seth was just finishing a call so she sat in the only other chair in the room and looked around his domain trying to pick up clues as to what sort of man he was, but there were no family pictures or golf clubs or anything else to shed any light on this young man who was probably only about thirty years old. It occurred to her while she was waiting for him to finish that he was very young to be in charge of this investigation. On the other side of the glass there were a lot of men and women who looked a lot older than him, but they didn't have their own office, so Seth must be something special to have got so far so fast.

He put the phone down and grinned at her. "Coffee?" he asked. Bella refused but accepted a glass of chilled water from the cooler. Air conditioning always made her throat dry and she got through at least two large bottles of water a day.

Seth beckoned her to come round to his side of the desk and he moved his computer around so she could see the screen. Seth pressed a few keys and Alice Whitlock's face appeared with her date of birth and where she was born. More details appeared about her education and family, plus some information about her current profession and place of work. Bella read through it all and there was nothing unusual about it.

"So what?" Bella said to Seth, wondering why she had been dragged up here to see something she could have seen on her own computer.

"It's all bullshit Bella, Alice Whitlock nee Brandon are fake names. She wasn't born in New York and that isn't her birthday. Watch this.

He pressed a few more keys and Jasper appeared. Same type of information on file, regular upbringing in Texas, University education, moved to Seattle ten years ago, married Alice Brandon in 2002.

"More bullshit. Jasper Whitlock is not who he says he is."

"Who are they then?"

"Witness Protection Program, they were given new identities when they moved to Washington State ten years ago in 2003. Only problem is that no-one here can find out why they are on the program, what case they were involved in, who is renewing their WPP status – absolutely nothing, zilch."

Bella looked at the picture of Jasper that was apparently taken when they moved to Seattle in 2003. "Can I have a look at Alice's picture again Seth." She moved closer to the screen and stared at Alice's tiny face and black hair. She asked Seth whether she could have the mouse so she could enhance the picture in front of her then for the next few minutes she hopped to and from the photographs while Seth looked on with interest.

"What are you looking for Bella?"

Bella stopped looking at the screen and handed the mouse back to Seth. "When I talked to Alice Whitlock, she said that she had worked in that office for years. I said that she didn't look old enough to have worked anywhere for years and then she back-tracked and said her family had worked there for years. I thought it was odd at the time because she only looks about twenty-one and not even old enough to have worked the three years she claimed to have been there. If this photograph was taken ten years ago, she hasn't changed or aged a bit since then. Same as Jasper's photograph, he hasn't aged at all either."

"So what are you thinking?"

"I don't know Seth. There is something fishy here, something not quite right. It may have absolutely nothing to do with the murders or Jacob's death, but the Whitlocks are hiding something and I don't know what."

Seth looked at the pictures for himself and agreed they could have been taken yesterday, but the computer was saying that these files were put on the system in April 2003 and hadn't been updated since. It wasn't unusual for WPP files to have no other information just in case the people who they were being protected from managed to access the files, but if you asked the right people you would eventually find out everything there was to know about their previous lives before they became witnesses for the state. Seth had asked the right people but had met a brick wall.

"So what do you want to do Bella?"

"Watch and wait I think is the best thing. I don't want them to know that we suspect them, so we will have to be careful."

"Ok, I'll get some surveillance set up to see who is going in and out of their office and also what they do at the weekends."

"That's a point" said Bella. "Where do they actually live? I saw a bed in one of the upstairs rooms, but it's obvious they don't sleep there all the time."

"I don't know" Seth replied. "Hang on I'll look that up."

Seth started typing on his keyboard while Bella finished her glass of water. She could see some of his male colleagues staring at her through the glass and she realised what it must feel like to be a goldfish.

"That's interesting"

"What?" Bella said. She stood up and looked at the screen which showed the Whitlock's home. Seth had Google Mapped it and the camera zoomed in to a beautiful wooden house in the middle of a forest.

"Well, well, well, that's a coincidence, the Whitlock's live in the forest on the edge of the Olympic National Park and their nearest town is Forks. That would be a very long commute in the morning don't you think?

Bella's eyes widened as Seth pulled the map back and she knew the area well enough to know that the clearing where she found the arm was less than a mile away from that house and the eleventh victim was found approximately six miles away.

There were too many coincidences here and she knew in her gut that the Whitlocks were somehow involved and at last they were on the right track.


	16. CSI Seattle 16

**CHAPTER SIXTEEN**

Bella took her cell phone out of her bag and called her father. He answered quickly as Bella didn't normally phone him at work so he knew it wouldn't be a social call.

"Hi Bells, what's up?"

"Hi Dad, haven't got long. Do you know the Whitlocks who live in the forest."

"Yes sure Bella, not very well though. They keep themselves to themselves and they're not there much; I think they work in the city. Nice couple, very young to own a house like that so they must be wealthy. No kids yet. They drive fast cars but not when I'm around." Charlie laughed at his own joke. "They don't come into town much and must do their shopping in Seattle as no-one has ever seen them in the store, apart from that, totally normal. Why?"

"Their business was on the same street where Jacob died. We're just checking out all the business and I noticed they had a house near to Forks."

"Oh, okay. Well let me know if you need any more info and I'll see what I can find out. When are you coming to see Sue and me Bells?"

"Soon Dad, I'll be over as soon as I can. I'm really busy at the moment as you can appreciate."

"Alright cupcake, glad to have been of assistance." He hung up and Bella smiled at Seth who was looking at her a bit incredulously. "My Dad's the Chief of Police in Forks" she explained.

"That's handy" he said and grinned. He was beginning to like Bella more and more, but he wouldn't make a move, not for a few more months.

"So, surveillance is the plan then" Bella said. "Are you able to monitor their phone calls and computers as well?"

"Phone calls probably, not so sure about the IT. We'll do our best. I'll get all that sorted out so leave that with me. I'll get their house in Forks checked out too but I will use our guys as I'm sure they would recognise your Dad's colleagues."

Bella nodded. "Will you be watching their building 24/7?"

"Yes, I'll make all the arrangements for a round the clock stake-out. I'll keep you informed if we see or find out anything useful."

Bella got up to leave. "Thanks Seth, we're a good team aren't we?"

Seth laughed and was somewhat encouraged. "Bide your time boy, bide your time" he thought to himself as he escorted her out of the office accompanied by cat calls and wolf whistles. "Sorry" he said to Bella who was blushing.

* * *

Edward arrived at the University and was unnecessarily escorted to Rosalie's lab by one of the receptionists who remembered him from his previous visit. "You've got a good memory" Edward said, complimenting her on her extraordinary powers of observation as there would have been hundreds of people in and out of the building since then. Little did he know that there were numerous pictures of him in desk drawers, lockers and of course stored on cell phones and laptops because the word had got around the female staff last week that fuck-hot Dr. Masen was touring the building and camera phones had been snapping away while he was totally oblivious to the furore he was causing.

Rosalie looked up when he walked in and gave him her full mega-watt smile. She secretly wished Bella had given her a bit more than an hour's notice of his arrival as she could have dashed home and changed her outfit, even though it would still mostly be covered by her lab coat. She made sure a bit of cleavage was on show though and she had managed to reapply make-up that was put on in haste at 7.30 this morning when she was still unaware that he was coming back today.

Edward's personal radar detected man-eater within range, but he needed Rosalie's assistance today so he didn't want to antagonise her by being impolite. He couldn't tell her that he was with Bella as it was still too early in most people's minds for Bella to date after losing Jacob so tragically, not that it was any of their business, but he didn't want to embarrass Bella as she had to work with Rosalie in the future.

He went over to the bench where he had worked before and lined the samples up in front of him. He wasn't bothering to do any ancestry tests as he had been unsuccessful when he attempted these in Connecticut; so the first item on his 'to-do list' was to set up a DNA test using the strands of hair and follicles. This took him about half an hour then he then turned his attention to the skin sample. He hoped to discover whether there were any unusual characteristics that would not be found in normal human skin and then investigate that further. There was equipment in the lab that would do the majority of the work for him, he would just have to prepare the machine and insert the sample then leave it to cogitate and the results would be displayed on his computer as soon as the tests were completed.

When this had been set up to his satisfaction, he moved on to the jar containing the stone-like substance and spread a small portion of it onto a slide, crushing the lumps into a more sand-like material. He placed the slide on the microscope and looked through the eye piece at the structure of the material which when magnified to a high resolution resembled polystyrene or foam on the top of coffee as he could see small bubbles in the pale grey substance. He turned up the magnification to the highest setting and whereas before he could only see the colours grey or a creamy white, he could now see a minute spot of red inside one of the bubbles. This fascinated him and he wanted to get a better look at what this was, but the microscope was at its limit.

He called over to Rosalie who just happened to be leaning forward over her bench so he got a good eyeful of her cleavage. "Rosalie, do you have a microscope with a higher magnification I can use?"

"Yes" she replied. "There's an electron microscope over there – try that." She waved in the direction of another bench so Edward took his slide over and after fiddling about with the instrument for a few minutes, the enhanced image of the substance came in to clear view. The red material, whatever it was, could now be clearly seen and tiny spots of it were present in practically all of the bubbles. He needed to find out what this was so he went back to his bench and put a small lump of stone onto a Petri dish and poured some solution over it. He left it for a few minutes and went to check on his other experiments then came back to the dish. He could see without any magnification that the red matter was seeping into the solution, so he collected a small sample of the fluid and put it in a tube normally used for blood tests.

He stared at the sample trying to decide what to do with it; "I wonder" he said out loud to himself. He took the sample over to a high-tech machine that analysed both human and animal blood types plus it reported if any known blood conditions were present. After inserting the sample he waited for a few long minutes while the test took place and had to stop himself from grabbing the read-out when the machine came to a halt.

He laid the report out on the bench and read it carefully. It confirmed that human type A blood was present and the patient had the condition called Haemophilia. Edward was surprised as he was not expecting to find human blood anywhere so this made him think again about the tests he was going to run that day. Like all good scientists, he decided to repeat the test to make sure he got the same result, so he took another small lump of the stone, soaked it in solution in a Petri dish and then transferred the fluid into the diagnostics machine. Within a few minutes, he got confirmation the same as before.

He still couldn't believe his results which had completely thrown him, so just to be absolutely sure, he took one big lump of the substance and soaked it in solution and this went into the machine. The report came back, but this time the machine confirmed that it was blood type O and no blood conditions were present.

Edward scratched his head and looked again at the conflicting reports which were now saying that the stone like substance contained two different types of blood which was impossible. This was getting weirder and weirder he thought.

Keeping back a few large lumps of the stone for other experiments, he tested all the remaining smaller pieces that Bella had collected for traces of blood and the results were 4 type A and 3 type O. The hair sample tests were complete and showed no trace of alcohol or drugs in the follicles but he was able to extract a DNA fingerprint that would enable Bella to run a check through the police database. If this guy had committed a crime recently or had been a victim of crime, his identity would show up on their records.

He took one of the remaining lumps of stone over to a piece of equipment that could analyse elements found in rock and soil samples. He inserted the lump and set the machine up to run the tests which would take some time and then went back to his bench to tidy up.

The test on the skin sample was still running and wouldn't be complete until tomorrow so he cleared his bench and collected his specimen jars and said goodbye to Rosalie, confirming that he would be back in the morning to pick up his results.

The keys to a hire car were waiting for him in reception and as he was walking out to the parking lot to find a silver Volvo, he phoned Bella to see how she was getting on. She was just about to leave her lab so they arranged to meet for an early dinner at a restaurant near the apartment. Edward found the hire car and placed the remaining samples into the trunk then drove quickly to Bella's apartment and got changed. He put the specimen jars in the fridge, fed Molly who now treating him like her best friend and jogged off on foot to the restaurant. He got there just as Bella was pulling up in her truck.

He opened the door and kissed her before she had a chance to get out. "Nice day at the office dear?" he said and laughed. She jumped down and they hugged, then entered the restaurant hand in hand.

After ordering, they both wanted to know how the other had got on. "You first" Edward said, so Bella told him about her meeting with Seth and that he had discovered that the Whitlocks were on a Witness Protection Program but no other information was available on them prior to 2003. Then she told him that they lived not far from Forks in a beautiful house in the woods and they had moved there about ten years ago.

Edward suddenly grabbed Bella's hand. "The house in Forks, where is it?"

"It's just off Elk Creek Ridge Road Edward, why?"

"My Dad sold his house in Forks in 2003 just after I left for University. What's the house called and what does it look like?"

"It's called Cullen House and it's modern, all wood and glass and it's by a small river."

"Jesus, that was my Dad's house, hang on Bella I'm calling him."

Edward jumped up from the table and walked out onto the sidewalk, leaving Bella sitting on her own. One of Edward's pet hates was people using their phones in restaurants which really annoyed him.

"Dad, it's Edward."

"Hello son, have you got news already?"

"Yes a bit, but can I ask you about our old house in Forks. Who did you sell it to?"

"Oh gosh, I remember they were a young couple. I didn't meet them, the Real Estate agent showed them round. Hang on, their name was something like Whitworth, Whitchurch."

"Was it Whitlock Dad?"

"Yes, that was it, why?"

"I can't tell you too much at the moment, but can you remember anything about them?"

"I know they paid cash for the house, no mortgage was involved. The house was worth a quarter of a million dollars back then which was a hefty sum for a young couple, but they didn't even want to haggle the price down, gave me the asking price. The Real Estate agent said they wanted somewhere quiet and secluded."

"Thanks Dad that's really helpful. I'll call you tomorrow and let you know what I've found out."

"Okay Edward, we'll talk then."

Edward switched off the phone and walked back to their table. "The Whitlocks live in my old house Bella. My dad sold it to them ten years ago, so if Alice only looks about twenty-one now, then that would have made her eleven years old when she bought a house worth a quarter of a million bucks – which is highly unlikely. She must be a lot older than twenty-one."

"Maybe the money was a pay-off from the police" Bella suggested.

"I doubt it, but anyway, it's a strange coincidence. I adored that house, it was so light and open. I would love to go back there one day." Edward's earliest memories were playing with his mother by the river or in her garden, but also he could remember his father frantically searching for his mother in the woods when he would come home from the hospital to find Edward in the house on his own. Going back there would trigger many different emotions for him and he thought to himself that maybe it would not be a good idea to return.

Bella could sense that Edward was reflecting on his sad childhood so she took hold of his hand across the table and gave it a squeeze. "Hey, Edward, are you going to tell me what you discovered today?"

Edward was just about to launch into his discovery of blood in the samples when their meals arrived. "I think we'd better wait until after dinner Bella, not a good idea to talk about body fluids while we're eating."

While they were eating Edward told Bella that he thought Rosalie had taken a shine to him. Bella laughed and told him that Emmett McCarthy was absolutely crazy about her, but she wasn't responding to his advances, in fact she had never known her to have a proper boyfriend even though she was very beautiful.

Bella asked him about Annabel and if he knew whether she was okay, but Edward just nodded and said he didn't really want to talk about it but he was happy that she was with her parents.

When the waiter took their plates away and they were drinking their coffees, Edward told Bella about finding blood in the stone substance and also that there were two different types which was completely irregular. Bella was equally confused but delighted that he had obtained a DNA fingerprint and she said she would run that through the database tomorrow to see whether they came up with anything.

They drank their coffees and left the restaurant and walked to Bella's truck. Edward reluctantly got in after Bella promised not to terrify him with her driving.

While they were travelling the short distance to Bella's apartment, Edward said "I forgot to mention that one of the blood samples also had haemophilia."

Bella slammed the brakes on and if Edward hadn't had a seat belt on he would have been through the windscreen.

"What the fuck!" he shouted.

Bella pulled the truck over to the side of the road. "Are you absolutely sure about the haemophilia Edward."

"Yes, I ran the tests and it showed up four times" Edward responded as he rubbed his neck where the seat belt had cut into him. "Why is it so important?"

"Because one of the serial killer's victims had haemophilia Edward. The killer only took about a pint of his blood."

"Holy Shit. What you're saying is that this guy is or was the serial killer."

Bella covered her face in her hands and Edward could hear her saying "fuck, fuck, fuck" under her breath. He undid his seatbelt and jumped out of the truck and went round to her door.

"Move over Bella, I'll drive us home."

She shuffled over to the passenger side and Edward climbed in. After about three attempts he managed to get the car into the right gear and drove the truck gingerly away from the sidewalk muttering "this is a piece of shit."

When they got back to the apartment Edward made Bella sit down on the sofa while he poured them both a brandy. After the revelations of this evening he needed a drink and he was sure Bella felt the same.

Bella was staring into space as the implications of Edward's information hit home.

"Edward, I don't know what to do. I should be on the phone right now telling Victoria that we might have worked out who the serial killer might be and also what we've discovered, but that would mean I would have to tell her about the experiments we've been doing on the arm. Also she'll want to know why I've been keeping from her that the arm is possibly not human or maybe not of this world and then she'll want to know why I have involved you, which is completely against regulations. "

"Bella we don't know anything yet; we can't jump to conclusions you know that. Let's think about this logically; have there been any more killings or has anyone been reported missing since you found the arm?"

"No, which means he probably is the killer."

"Possibly, but it also means that the killer is probably dead, or at worst he is now prowling around with only one arm which would restrict him somewhat."

"True, but what happened to the rest of him. If he died or was killed near Forks, where is the rest of his body? If it was the same structure as his arm, it wouldn't deteriorate."

"I don't know Bella. Are you sure your Dad and his team did a thorough search?"

"Yes, and they had a helicopter up with heat-sensitive cameras."

"Ah!" Edward pulled a face and shook his head. "I don't think this guy's body would show up on that type of equipment. Remember his insides were like stone so he was probably always cold to the touch, so if a helicopter flew above the rest of his body it would be the same temperature as nearby rocks."

"We need to go back there then Edward; see if we can find any more bits of him. Maybe he was attacked by animals after he killed the hiker and was ripped to pieces. If we can find the rest of his body, we could see his face and then hopefully we can identify him."

"That's a strong possibility, I'd never thought of an animal attack. Alright, we'll go to Forks and take a look around. Why don't you tie it in with a visit to your Dad. Just tell him I'm working on the case, he doesn't need to know we're an item."

"Are we an item Edward?"

"What do you think we are?"

"Well as you still haven't asked me out on a date and I've been waiting for at least ten years, I presumed we were just fuck-buddies"

Edward burst out laughing and then took Bella's hands in his. "I sincerely apologise for making you wait so long, but will you do me the honour of being my girlfriend Bella?"

Bella stuck her nose up in the air and wouldn't give him an answer.

"Are you ignoring me Bella?"

"Yes" she said.

"Does that mean yes you're ignoring me or yes you'll be my girlfriend?"

They both burst out laughing then, remembering a similar conversation in the school library when they were teenagers.

Bella put her hands on his face and looked at him directly in the eyes. "I actually would like to be both."

"Both?" Edward was confused.

"Yes, Edward, I would like to be your girlfriend and your fuck-buddy."

"Well" Edward said as he pulled Bella onto her feet, hooked his arm under her legs and picked her up, "I think if you're applying for both positions, we need to put you through a thorough interview process, starting with a physical test of endurance. Are you prepared for that Miss Swan?"

"Oh yes Sir, just tell me what you would like me to do."

"Young lady, I should tell you that anticipating my every need is the top requirement on the person specification."

Bella giggled as Edward threw her onto the bed and an hour later, she had passed the interview with flying colours.


	17. CSI Seattle 17

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN**

Carlisle wandered along the corridor towards his brother's lab feeling apprehensive but saying hello to Jane and her colleagues along the way. He knocked on the glass and like Edward, received no response.

"Anthony, it's Carlisle" he shouted and knocked again. Still no response.

"Anthony, I need to talk to you. If you like I'll meet you by the lake. I'm going to walk over there now and I'll wait for half an hour. I need to tell you something important, something personal."

He walked back up the corridor to one of the offices and made his way out through a fire-exit door onto the lawn that stretched down to the lakeside. It was another warm, sunny day and the scenery was idyllic. The lake was sparkling in the sunlight and its mirrored surface was inhabited by ducks and geese and the occasional wading bird he didn't know the name of. Since he had received the news that his time on earth was limited, he was noticing his surroundings more, appreciating the beauty of the world around him and Connecticut was a beautiful place to live.

He had waited about twenty minutes when he heard the sliding door to Anthony's lab open and turned to see a dishevelled old man shuffling carefully down the slope. If he wasn't expecting it to be his brother he wouldn't have recognised him, the change was startling. He didn't look sixty-two, more like seventy-two and that was being generous. His hair was un-brushed, he hadn't shaved for at least three days and his clothes looked like they had been slept in, which they probably had. His cheeks were sunken in and Carlisle wondered whether he had eaten anything since incarcerating himself in his lab. He walked towards him and held his arm out for Anthony to take as he obviously had difficulty walking, but he shook it away and gestured towards the wooden bench.

They both sat down and nothing was said while Anthony got his breath back. Carlisle eventually broke the silence.

"I hate to say it Anthony, but you look and smell like shit."

"Thanks Carlisle, I love you too! I presume this isn't a social call."

"Yes and No."

Anthony raised an eyebrow. "I presume Edward has blabbed."

"If you are asking whether my son has contacted me to express his concern that you are behaving totally out of character, then yes, Edward has blabbed as I would expect any good son or nephew to do. What would you do in his position?"

Anthony shook his head then put it in his hands. "Carlisle, you don't know the dilemma I'm in, so please don't question me for the moment, just give me a few more days."

"Edward has told me what Miss Swan found in the forest and that you've completely monopolised the investigation. He says that you have shut him out and are refusing to allow him any input or involvement in your experiments. He is very hurt Anthony, both professionally and emotionally. What is your response to that?"

"I told you Carlisle, just give me a few more days and then I'll talk to you about what I have discovered, scientist to scientist. I promise you that eventually Edward will know everything. Will you do that for me?"

"Alright Anthony I will give you a few days but I will come back at the weekend and I will expect some answers then. You may be my son's employer but I am not allowing you to run roughshod over him in this way. We are family and you will do well to remember that."

Anthony nodded his head in agreement even though he had no intention of involving Edward in his research until he had found what he was looking for. "You said you had something personal to talk about, what is it?"

"It's about me Anthony this time and it's not good news; I've been diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer. I have refused treatment as it would only give me a few more months of life, so at the moment I am just managing with gradually increasing amounts of pain relief. I haven't had the chance to tell Edward yet, it's not the sort of thing you discuss over the telephone, but it is important to me that you resolve your differences before I die. You will be his only family when I'm gone and he will need support when his mother eventually passes away."

Anthony was staring at him in shock. Carlisle was first and foremost his little brother and they had been through a lot together over the years. Even though he was a Nobel Prizewinning scientist, he always considered Carlisle had the higher intellect and would have made amazing discoveries if he had not changed career. Carlisle had also not asked for recognition for the amount of input he had to his work on genetics that had won him the Nobel Prize, allowing him to take all the credit for what was really a joint effort; but the scientific community didn't know this and Carlisle would now take that knowledge to the grave.

He was at a loss what to say to him. What do you say when the person closest to you tells you that they are dying? His brain flashed to the experiments he was doing in his laboratory and it came to him that if he could just find out how to replicate what was happening to these cells, he may be able to reverse Carlisle's condition or at least stop it progressing to the stage where it becomes fatal. He needed to get back to the lab and continue his work, however he was genuinely upset at his brother's news.

"Carlisle, I'm so sorry. Are you sure about the diagnosis?"

"Yes, I've seen the test results and the scans; there's no doubt, the prognosis is about three months at best. I have decided to take my own life when the pain gets too much, but I'm not telling Edward that."

"Oh God!" Anthony said. "If there is anything I can do, just let me know.

"All I want is for you and Edward to sort this out. You can trust him, you know that Anthony."

"I know, but the work I'm doing, I can't have any distractions, I need to think things through on my own and I just need a bit more time."

"Alright, I'll leave you to it, but you will let me help you back up to your lab and at least get you a change of clothes and some food. I hate to say this Anthony but you really do stink!"

They both laughed and Anthony allowed Carlisle to help him up the slope but wouldn't let him go any further.

"I'll leave everything outside the door of the lab, knock three times and then run," Carlisle said jokingly, then he put his arms around his brother and hugged him. "Family is more important than any experiment Anthony."

"Not this one" he replied and went back into his lab and locked the door.

* * *

The following day Edward drove to the University and made his way to Rosalie's lab. He was anxious to find out the results of the tests he had done on the skin and stone samples which would hopefully give him a clear idea of what elements they were made of. Rosalie was already at her bench and he flinched when he saw her, as it was obvious that since he had left the lab yesterday her hair had been highlighted, her eyebrows had been plucked, her skin was now light bronze when yesterday it was pale and when he started walking towards her he was almost overcome with the smell of Chanel No. 5.

He gave her a smile and a wave and took the long way round to his bench, just in case she launched herself at him. After putting on his white coat, he went over to the equipment that was testing his samples and was able to read on the small LED display that the results had been sent to his computer. He switched on the screen and called up the right program which brought up the report on the skin sample first. He wasn't an expert on dermatology but the results were telling him that the sample was relatively normal. The only difference this equipment showed was that there was a much higher proportion of collagen than usual in the epidermis.

He turned his attention to the stone sample and was dumbfounded when he read the report. The substance was almost one hundred percent silicon, which he knew was a substance normally found in the human body but only in minute quantities. Somehow this man's percentage of silicon had been multiplied thousands of times and had become his main element, rather than oxygen, carbon or hydrogen.

Edward sat down on his stool and stared at the results, trying to make sense of his discovery. These findings still didn't explain why the tissue was still technically alive and he would have to do some more experiments, but frankly he didn't know where to start. He wondered again what his uncle had discovered so quickly to make him so protective of his investigations and what use he could make of any discovery he made.

He wanted to do a few more tests today on the skin sample just to prove a point. The arm had been detached for at least a week now, possibly more, and as far as he could tell was showing no sign of deterioration as cells were still reproducing and dying in front of him, so Edward decided he was going to have a go at stopping the cycle and effectively try to kill a bit of the skin.

He started by pouring all sorts of different fluids on a sample, he even tried bashing a piece with a mallet, but when he put the drowned or crushed remnants under the microscope there were always signs of life still there. In the end he just threw a sample onto a dish, struck a match and set light to it, just to see what happened and he watched in satisfaction as the skin shrivelled up quickly and disappeared without a trace. He picked up one of the remaining pieces of stone and placed that in the dish and lit it then watched as it collapsed in on itself and within a few seconds was gone. "Interesting" he thought and scratched his head.

While he was deliberating on the results his cell phone rang and he saw that it was his father calling. He answered and walked away from his bench out of range of Rosalie ears.

"Hi Dad, I'm in the lab."

"Hello son, thought you might be. How are your investigations coming along?"

Edward told his father about his discoveries so far and he was fascinated when Edward told him about finding human blood and that the body was made of silicon, then he told him that he was going with Miss Swan to visit the spot where the arm was discovered to see whether they could find the rest of the body.

Carlisle laughed. "Edward, can you stop calling Bella 'Miss Swan.' I've guessed that she's the same girl you were mooning about when you left for University. It may be ten years ago, but I remember you having a face like thunder when I drove you to the airport after your Prom, and I recall your date was with a certain Miss Bella Swan who was just about to go to Seattle to do a degree in Forensics. So she's the girl you've fallen for?"

"Yes Dad, so I'm busted then." Edward grimaced as his father had read his mind again.

"Does she make you happy Edward?"

"I think I love her Dad, in fact I think I've always loved her."

"Then I'm happy for you and relieved."

"Why relieved?"

"I want you to marry for love Edward. I still love your mother very much, I just want you to have what I had, but hopefully for a lot longer."

"It's early days yet, so you might have to wait a while for a wedding." Edward laughed.

"Don't leave it too long son."

Edward was starting to feel a bit uncomfortable about the conversation. He had never discussed his love-life with his father before and he recalled their earlier conversation when his father had told him he loved him. Something was up, but he didn't know what.

"Dad, have you thought about what happened at Anthony's lab?"

"I've been to see him Edward, and he has promised to let me know what is going on at the weekend and also that he will tell you everything soon. He says he needs to be on his own so he can concentrate on his experiments."

"That's bullshit and you know it" Edward replied. "He doesn't want to share."

"Maybe son, but let's give him the benefit of the doubt for a few more days, agreed?"

"Okay."

"When are you coming home Edward?"

"I don't know, why?"

"I need to talk to you about things."

"What sort of things?"

"Things that I would rather not talk about on the phone."

"I'll try and get home after the weekend Dad, can it wait?"

"Yes, but not for too long."

"Okay, I'll call you when I get back from Forks."

"Alright son, have a good trip."

Edward hung up. There was definitely something going on with his Dad but he couldn't put his finger on it.

* * *

Jasper looked out of the window overlooking the sidewalk. With his high-definition eyesight he could see right inside the windows of the van that had been parked about a hundred yards away for the past two days. He was beginning to recognise the occupants and work out their rota; four teams working shifts of three hours twice a day. Every visitor to their office was logged and photographed and each time either of them left the building they were followed. He didn't know whether they were regular policemen or FBI, but they were useless at surveillance; he was sure he would have spotted them even without the benefit of super sensitive hearing and eyesight.

"What are they doing now?" Alice said, sounding totally disinterested.

"Just changing shifts, it's the red-haired guy and the blonde bombshell again. I wonder if his wife knows what goes on when he's on surveillance." Jasper laughed.

"Do you think he'll get more than a blow-job on this shift?"

"We'll have to wait and see. Do you fancy making a run for it when he's just about to explode?"

"That would be fun" Alice responded sarcastically.

Jasper wandered back to his desk and shuffled some papers about. He was genuinely concerned, even though he was making light of being watched day and night. They were now suspects in a murder case and that could cause problems if one of these officers was competent enough to look in the right places at their background. He was still mystified why they were being watched unless there was something on their CCTV tape they didn't know about, in which case someone with more than one brain cell must be involved with the investigation. When the police called for their back-up tapes, he didn't get a chance to look at them before they were handed over and he was cross with himself for not taking care of this beforehand. There was certainly nothing of interest on the second tape taken after Jacob Black was killed, he had made certain of that.

They had efficiently covered their tracks as far as he was concerned and left no evidence of their actions and as long as Alice couldn't foresee any problems ahead, then their lives would carry on as normal. If she did see a problem coming, then they would disappear and resurface in about ten year's time; they had done it before but usually it was a planned exit. He would be sad to leave Seattle though as they had a good life here; they had built up a legitimate business and he loved the house in Forks and would regret having to give that up.

Thankfully Aro and his cronies had not been in touch; he was more concerned with the Volturi's reaction to what had been happening in the neighbourhood recently than the repercussions if they were arrested by the police. There wasn't a prison cell invented that could hold either of them for long but Aro wouldn't stop to ask questions, he would just get rid of a problem if he thought there was a problem. He accepted that the Volturi would be aware of the killings in Seattle, but the police had not made public how the victims had died and as there had been no new victims for the last three weeks, he hoped that would convince Aro and the guard that there was now no need to turn up on their doorstep.

They both needed to go back to Forks to hunt, but if they left they would be followed so they needed to give the surveillance team the slip, which shouldn't be too difficult he thought. He would have to create a diversion; they would only need a couple of seconds and they would be gone in a flash, literally. He would have to put his thinking cap on and see what he came up with.

Until then, they would sit it out and wait until their observers got fed up with watching them.

* * *

As promised, Seth sent Bella the surveillance reports including videos and photographs of the visitors to the Whitlock's office. Bella was watching one of the video tapes on her computer when Victoria poked her head around the door. "Any progress" she asked and then came in to see what Bella was looking at.

"No not really, normal comings and goings; they must sleep there during the week as they haven't left to go home since we've been watching them."

"So nothing unusual then?"

"Well, the only thing that is a bit weird is they haven't been out for food or brought anything back to eat as far as I can tell. When we searched the place it didn't have a kitchen, just a kettle and some tea and coffee for visitors. I didn't notice any cookies or other food around but there may have been some in cupboards or drawers."

"I agree that is a bit strange." Victoria replied, but she was not as convinced as Bella that the Whitlock's had anything to do with the serial killer case, but as they had no other leads she could at least tell her superiors that her department was following a line of enquiry. Thankfully there had been no other killings or disappearances since the hiker was taken, but she was still under enormous pressure to catch the person responsible.

"What are you doing on your days off Bella? Looks like it's going to be lovely weather."

"I'm going to Forks to see my Dad. I haven't seen him for a while and I know he's worried about me, so I'm going up there tomorrow to put his mind at rest."

"That's good, well give him my best wishes won't you."

"Will do, thanks."

Bella was relieved Victoria didn't question her further. She hated keeping information from her but she knew it was for the best at this moment. She wondered how Edward was getting on in the lab and then chuckled to herself when she imagined him trying to fend off Rosalie's advances. Bella knew what Rosalie was like and she suspected she would be pulling out all the stops to snare him, but Bella wasn't worried.

Last night in bed she felt that their connection had become even deeper and meaningful as they lost themselves in each other's bodies, relishing every touch while whispering words of love and encouragement to each other. Every time they made love they were moving to another level of intimacy and she realised their love-making was not about orgasms and climaxes, it was being together that was the thrill, a feeling of total honesty and togetherness she knew she would never feel with anyone else. She still loved Edward being in control in bed, but she compared the experience to dancing a Tango, the male took the lead but he was totally focused on his partner's every move. He could be gentle when he held her, his hands hardly touching her, lightly skimming over her body making her skin tingle, but then passion would take over and he would lose himself in her and she loved seeing and feeling him getting so much pleasure from her, which was the biggest turn-on of all.

Reluctantly she made herself stop daydreaming and turned her attention back to the Whitlocks. Now that she was convinced that the arm belonged to the serial killer she couldn't think of a reason why they should be watched by a surveillance team, other than her gut feeling that somehow they were involved. There were too many coincidences; V8 working nearby, Jacob being murdered only a few yards from their door, the flying-guy jumping off their roof or from one of their windows, the arm being found near to their house and the hiker also being found in the vicinity, plus of course their mysterious background and the fact they neither of them looked liked they had aged in ten years. Edward had suggested that maybe something supernatural might be happening in Seattle, but she still didn't believe that.

There had to be a logical explanation, but what it was was alluding her?


	18. CSI Seattle 18

**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN**

Bella gave Seth a call on his cell and mentioned that she had noticed they hadn't been out to eat and could he ask his team to let her know if they bought any food. Seth thought she was crazy, but she insisted, so he relented. She told him that she was going up to Forks for two days to see her dad and she asked him to call her if anything of significance happened at the stake-out.

She phoned Charlie next but he didn't answer so she phoned the house and got Sue. Charlie was out fishing so she told Sue she would be coming up to stay overnight and would be bringing a male colleague as they were going to check out a lead to do with the arm that they found. Sue said she was looking forward to seeing them and would make up the spare bedroom. Bella chuckled and thought that wouldn't go down too well with Edward, but it was her father's house and he would have to behave himself.

She waited until everyone else had left the lab then loaded her truck up with a box of instruments and some collapsible evidence boxes just in case they found some extra body parts. She drove home and unloaded her kit into the apartment and was just speaking to her neighbour across the hall to ask him to look after Molly while she was away when Edward arrived back with an Indian take-out.

After a hot shower and an even hotter curry, they curled up on the sofa and talked about their day and their trip tomorrow. Edward insisted on driving as he didn't think Bella's truck would make it out of Seattle let alone all the way to Forks. He had swopped his first hire car for a SUV just in case they needed to go off-road, and he had picked up some maps as well just in case their Satellite Navigation systems couldn't pick up a signal. Bella pointed out that they were only going to Forks, not the middle of the Yukon.

Edward told Bella about his most recent phone conversation with his father. "He doesn't sound himself Bella, there is definitely something bothering him."

"Do you think it has something to do with Anthony?"

"No, he started acting strange before that happened."

"Maybe it's to do with your mother?"

"Possibly, I haven't seen her in a while. Maybe she's taken a turn for the worse."

"Don't worry about it for the moment Edward, he would have told you if there was something serious going on. You'll be seeing him soon."

Bella ran her fingers through his hair and kissed him gently on the lips. He needed distracting so she stood up in front of him and slowly peeled her bath robe off letting it fall to the floor. She bent over him and undid his bath robe and like her, he was naked underneath so she ran her fingertips over his chest and then gently over his stomach and along his thighs.

She pushed his legs apart and knelt down on the floor in between them. Edward guessed what she wanted to do so he sat upright and allowed Bella to take his cock in her hands and massage it while it grew in size. Bella shuffled forward and licked it from the base to the tip, slowly and carefully, running her tongue over the soft skin until she had covered every bit of it, then she wrapped her lips around the top and gently sucked the head. When she was satisfied that Edward's cock was fully erect, she plunged her mouth down on it so that it hit the back of her throat, then she sucked as hard as she could and drew her mouth slowly back up to the tip.

Edward moaned in pleasure and held Bella's head in his hands as she kissed, sucked and licked his cock then took into her mouth as much of him as possible. He was so turned on he knew he wasn't going to last long and as he didn't want to force her to swallow, he took his hands from her head, leaving her free to pull away if she wanted.

"I'm going to come Bella" he warned and started to slowly thrust himself into her mouth.

Bella looked up at him with wide wanton eyes and this along with the image of his cock almost completely in her mouth, sent him over the edge and he exploded down her throat. After his final pulse he whimpered "that was fucking amazing" as Bella had swallowed every drop, then she licked and sucked him clean like it was the most exquisite taste in the world, licking her lips after she pulled away and then she sat back to admire her handiwork.

Edward had collapsed back on the sofa in a state of pure bliss but Bella hadn't finished with him yet. She pushed his knees back together and then climbed onto the sofa and straddled him so that she was now massaging his semi-erect cock with her clitoris. While she was doing that she took hold of Edward's hands and placed them on her breasts. "Squeeze them hard" she ordered and Edward obliged even though he was still coming down from his orgasm, massaging and pulling them and rolling her nipples until they were like pebbles.

Edward sensed that tonight was not a night for love-making. Bella was inviting him to be a bit more inventive so he shuffled out of his bathrobe then lifted her up with his strong arms and dropped her down on his now fully erect again and rock hard penis and thrust himself upward as he impaled her. Bella cried with pleasure as he filled her completely and then the beast in him returned and he thrust into her as hard as he could, over and over again, while Bella gyrated her hips to increase the sensation.

He didn't want her to do this, he wanted to be fully in control of her orgasm so he clamped his arms around her tightly so she couldn't move and then he drove himself into her from below. Bella was crying with pleasure after every thrust as the heat between her legs was burning and Edward's cock was the red hot poker that was stoking the flames. Because he had come once already, he was able to hold out from coming too fast so Bella was getting the fuck of a lifetime.

Edward was almost in a trance as he was completely consumed with the feeling of having Bella so close to him and under his control. Her breasts were crushed against his chest and he could feel her hard nipples rubbing against his skin each time she was forced upwards by his thrusting. He buried his face in her hair and sucked a mark on her neck then moved his lips up to her face, raining kisses on her mouth and her cheeks that were wet with tears.

"Come with me Bella" he ordered. "Your body and soul are mine and I want you to come – now!" He tightened his grip around her as he drove his cock upwards with as much power as he could muster and after a few more thrusts he detonated his sperm into her and roared like a lion as Bella went to pieces in his arms. He grabbed hold of her hair with one hand and yanked her head back, then covered her mouth with his and forced his tongue into her mouth. As he continued thrusting into her until he was empty, he moaned in satisfaction as he felt her body still shuddering with her release and then going limp and weak with exhaustion.

With his arms tightly wrapped around her, his cock buried deep inside her and his tongue invading her mouth, he couldn't be more joined to Bella than at that instant and he almost cried with elation. He was completely spent as well but he felt like a King. He had ordered Bella to come and she had responded instantly. Bella's body was under his spell, but he knew her mind was her own and he would always respect that.

Edward slowly relaxed and lay back on the sofa where they remained still intimately joined and clinging to each other for several minutes. Bella started to shiver as the sweat on her back chilled in the cool air so Edward pulled his bathrobe out from behind him and placed it over her back to keep her warm. After a while she raised her head up that had been resting on his chest, looked up at him and smiled then kissed him gently on the lips.

"I love you Edward Masen."

"I love you too Bella Swan."

He held her tightly in his arms and looked down at Molly, who had remained curled up on the sofa next to him throughout the whole time they were in the throes of passion and he thought that if he was a cat he would be purring with contentment right now.

* * *

Jasper picked up his cell phone and punched in the number for the local Pizzeria. He placed his order then hung up. Alice did the same thing using her cell phone and ordered another Pizza from a different Pizzeria, gave the address and hung up. Jasper phoned a third Pizzeria, placed his order then they both sat by the entrance to their office and waited.

Fifteen minutes later they saw two out of the three Pizza delivery drivers turn up simultaneously and bang on the door of the surveillance van. Jasper and Alice watched in amusement while an argument broke out between their watchers and the delivery guys. When the third pizza turned up and all hell was breaking loose and warrant cards were being brandished, Jasper and Alice made their getaway. They moved so fast that only a person staring directly at their office door would have seen it open for a split second and then they may have seen a flash of movement. Within seconds they were coming to a halt in a nearby quiet alleyway, then they walked out into the night and nonchalantly strolled towards the street where their car was parked in a rented garage nearby.

Alice grinned at Jasper as they drove westwards towards Forks and the forests where they hunted. "Like taking candy from a baby" she said and laughed, but Jasper was still concerned that they were under surveillance and in his head he was already making plans for them to disappear and possibly go to Canada or maybe even further afield to Scotland or Ireland.

He glanced over to his wife who was staring out the window and wondered what their lives would have been like if they had been a regular couple, but of course they both would have been dead by now and more importantly would never have met as he was over a hundred years older than Alice. He reached over with his free hand and took one of hers and brought it up to his mouth and kissed it, then turned his attention to the journey that would take him across the Puget Sound, along the Olympic National Highway and through the National Park to their hunting ground near Forks.

* * *

Bella gave Molly a hug and told her to be a good cat for Mr. Banner who would be looking after her overnight. Edward was loading all her equipment into the SUV and as she pulled the outside door shut she watched him as he carefully secured all the different boxes into the trunk so they wouldn't dislodge during the drive.

They had made love again this morning but this time it was slow and gentle, but his tender touches affected her just as intensely as his rampant assault had last night and she felt totally fulfilled. He had told her again that he loved her and she had said it back. Just looking at him now gave her a knot in her stomach as he was everything she wanted in a man and it wasn't just the awesome sex; there was no side to him, he was a wonderful, honest, funny, sexy man who she knew was in love with her. She was so happy she could have cried right there and then as she didn't deserve this happiness, not after what she did to Jacob.

"Come on slowcoach" Edward shouted and beckoned her to get in the car. "We've got a long drive ahead of us and I want to see where you found the arm, today if possible!"

Bella skipped down the step and climbed into the SUV and put her seatbelt on. "Okay Masen, keep your hair on" she said and laughed. Edward fired up the engine and soon they were on their way, unaware that they were following in the tracks of Jasper and Alice.

Once they had crossed the Puget Sound using the ferries to Bainbridge Island and beyond, the drive along the 101 was quick and relatively traffic free. Glimpses of the National Park could be seen on their left and the sea came into view as they were nearing Port Angeles. They stopped there for coffee and a bathroom break then headed south along the Olympic Highway towards Forks. Here the road cut a swathe through the forest and Bella opened the window to smell the familiar scent of pine as they sped towards their destination.

Edward knew roughly where he was heading as he had spent many lonely teenage days trekking through the forest when his dad was at work. He enjoyed the solitude, but sometimes it got too much and he associated these trees with a feeling of isolation.

The signs for Forks appeared and he cut his speed as he was looking for the track that would take him to within half a mile of the spot where the arm was found. He guessed Bella's dad would have parked his squad car there that day and then covered the rest of the distance on foot. He drove another half a mile or so and then he quickly veered off left onto a stony track that only had room for one car's width. He carefully negotiated his way through the trees for about half a mile and then arrived at a small clearing with a semi-hard surface that had been created as a safe place for hikers to park their cars before setting off on the trails. The clearing was deserted today, probably due to the fact that only five miles away the hiker's body had been found and the culprit was still at large.

Edward jumped out and opened the trunk while Bella put on a pair of hiking boots that hadn't seen the light of day for about three years. He pulled out two back packs which contained the bare essentials for a hike plus a few basic instruments like scalpels and tweezers, a camera and some plastic evidence sacks. He chose the heaviest bag for himself then helped Bella with her bag, taking time to adjust the straps so it was sitting properly on her back. As he was doing up the final strap and tugging it tightly he gave Bella a wink. She knew exactly what was going through his head and she slapped his hand. "Don't even think it" she said.

They set off down a well-worn path that led them in the general direction of where they wanted to be. Edward had a compass app on his smart phone but he had brought the real thing just in case they lost satellite coverage. They had been walking for about ten minutes over the uneven surface when the trees started to thin out and more daylight was breaking through the canopy. After about another five minutes the trees ended abruptly and they walked out into a clearing surrounded on three sides by trees, but on the farthest edge the ground sloped gradually up the side of a low hill which was the start of a range that disappeared off into the distance.

Bella recognised the clearing straight away. The helicopter had landed near the base of the hills about half a mile further on so they had approached it from a different direction. She took hold of Edward's hand and led him to the spot where the tent had been erected over the arm.

"This was where it was" she said, pointing to the ground. The grass showed no signs that anything untoward had happened there so Edward looked around the field to see if there was anything of interest, but all there was were a few wild flowers, grasses of different heights plus a few short saplings dotted here and there.

"Did your dad find anything worth noting Bella?" He was intending to start searching around the tree line but needed to be pointed in the right direction if Charlie had spotted anything important enough to record.

"No nothing, the only thing he said in his report was that the clearing was deserted but someone had recently had a camp fire or a barbeque as some of the grass was burnt."

This was news to Edward and he was very interested due to his experiment in the lab. "Let's have a look to see where the fire was then" he said and started searching the ground for blackened grass.

"I think it was over there" Bella said and walked off to the opposite side of the field. Edward followed still looking at the ground for evidence until they found the spot that was obviously where the fire had been.

Edward got down on his hands and knees and started searching through the damaged grass; he didn't know what he was looking for but basically he was searching for anything that shouldn't be there. Bella watched him for a moment, then shrugged off her backpack and joined him on the ground as they made a fingertip search of the area.

After about ten minutes Bella heard Edward make a sort of half gasp/ half shriek noise and she stood up and walked over to where he almost had his nose on the ground. "Get me some tweezers Bella" he said as he slowly parted the short blades of grass exposing the earth below. Bella searched in her bag for the tweezers then handed them to Edward who carefully picked up a small piece of material that had been lying in the grass. Bella opened up her notebook and Edward put the tiny fragment onto the white surface and looked at it carefully.

"What does that look like to you Bella?"

"It looks like a piece of brown material Edward."

"Look closer."

Bella moved her eyes closer to the fabric and stared at it for a while then she gasped when she realised what she was looking at.

"Its brown leather."

"Yes, the same as what's on the arm. The body was obviously burnt here but they missed one bit."

"Oh my God, that means he's definitely dead."

"Well 80% of him is."

"Don't joke Edward. This means we'll never know what he looks like unless the DNA fingerprint comes up with something."

Edward had been chuckling but then was serious again. "Let's have a good look round in the grass to see whether we can find anything else then, but I doubt whether we will find any more limbs."

They both searched the ground carefully, pulling aside blades of grass and poking around the charred remains of the fire, but apart from a few more fragments of material that had obviously been thrown upwards and away from the blaze, nothing more was found and they decided to call it a day. They had sort of found what they were looking for, which was another piece in the puzzle, but were at a loss where to go now as far as identification was concerned. Only the DNA fingerprint remained as a possible source of an answer.

They slowly walked back to where the car was parked, both of them quietly thinking about the implications of what they had found. They stashed their backpacks in the trunk and changed out of their hiking shoes before getting back in the car then Edward turned it full circle in the clearing and headed for the track that led back to the main road. They had just entered the tunnel of trees when several deer ran across the path just a little way ahead of them going at breakneck speed.

"Oh look at that" Bella shouted as her eyes followed the herd.

"What the fuck was that?" Edward yelled when he saw a flash of movement directly in front of the car. He slammed on the brakes and the car shuddered to a stop.

"Jesus Edward what did you do that for?" Bella rubbed her neck where the seat belt had cut into her slightly, but she couldn't complain because she had done the same to Edward when he said the word 'haemophilia' two days ago.

"Did you see that?" Edward said, waving frantically at the path in front of him.

"Yes, I saw the deer but they were way ahead of us."

"No, not the deer, the things that ran in front of the car. It looked like a person or two people, but they were moving much too fast, they were gone in a flash, literally."

As he said the word flash, he realised what he'd just said and they looked at each other with wide eyes.

"Oh Shit!"

"Edward, do you think ..."

"I don't know what to think Bella, but something strange is going on here. We need to get out of here fast and get to your dad's house and think this through."

"Okay Edward, let's go."

Bella looked anxiously around her and was even more perturbed when Edward hit the central locking button on the door, put the car in drive and floored it, racing up the track at breakneck speed before practically going up on two wheels as he turned left onto the highway.

Not bothering about being caught for traffic violations, he didn't stop for anything until he pulled up in front of the house that he hadn't seen since he pushed his cowardly letter under the door almost ten years ago. Edward relaxed when he saw Charlie's squad car in the drive because he knew that when he walked into that house the first thing he would see, apart from Charlie of course, would be his rifle and unlike before, that would make him feel a whole lot safer!


	19. CSI Seattle 19

**CHAPTER NINETEEN**

A few hours later they were sitting at Charlie's small dining table eating fish that Charlie had caught yesterday. Sue was very adept at cooking fish by now so the meal was very pleasant, especially as Edward had brought some good quality wine with him which was going down a treat.

"You thought I wouldn't recognise you, didn't you Edward?" Charlie slapped Edward on the back and took another large gulp of wine, forgetting it should be sipped and not chugged like Vitamin R. Charlie had recognised Edward instantly when he walked through the door and shook him firmly by the hand just like before.

"I didn't think you would remember Sir, it was ten years ago."

"Maybe ten years Edward, but I never forget a face, especially one that turns up in a flash suit and whisks my daughter off in an even flasher Mercedes, then makes out with her on my sofa and thinks I don't realise what's been going on when I come back a bit too early, eh!"

"Dad!" Bella said and went bright crimson. Edward looked at her sheepishly and then Charlie burst out laughing and within seconds they were all laughing uncontrollably.

"It's good to see you laughing again Bells, I thought that wouldn't happen for a long time."

"I'm okay Dad, I'm really busy at work which has taken my mind off what happened and it has been great meeting up with Edward again. He has been a great help to the police department and to me."

"I'm sure he has" Charlie said and grinned. He wasn't blind or stupid as both he and Sue had noticed the body language between his daughter and Edward. He could tell that Edward was besotted with his daughter and he hoped that he would help Bella get over her loss. Edward was a fine young man and Bella could do a lot worse he thought.

"How's your father Edward, still performing miracles in the operating theatre?"

"Yes Charlie, but not for much longer. He's planning on retiring very soon. He might do the odd bit of research with my uncle, just to keep himself in the loop, but he's looking forward to his retirement."

"Well give him my best wishes, he was a fine doctor and we were sorry to lose him. By the way, why were you asking about the Whitlock's? They don't look like the type to be involved in anything shady."

Edward looked at Bella as it was her case to comment on so she spoke up. "One of the serial killer victims was snatched from outside their office and one was found not far from their house. Also Jacob was attacked very near to their office as well. It seemed like a strange coincidence so we've been checking them out along with other people."

"Do they check out okay?"

"Well sort of, they are on the Witness Protection program so we can't go too far back into their history, which is a bit annoying."

Charlie raised an eyebrow and blew a whistle through his teeth. "Well what d'ya know" he said then he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "That's strange, because the normal procedure is for the local force to be informed if there is anyone in our jurisdiction on the program. As far as I know we weren't informed when they moved into your old house Edward. I'll have to check that out."

Sue stood up and cleared their dinner plates then came back five minutes later with an enormous cheesecake. "That's not trout flavoured cheesecake?" Bella quipped, as she had warned Edward that Charlie had about a years-worth of fish in the freezers.

"No Bella, it's salmon" Charlie said, and they all burst out laughing again.

* * *

After a leisurely breakfast they packed up the car and hugged and kissed Charlie and Sue and drove off towards Seattle. They had been going for about five minutes when Edward quickly turned the car off the highway onto a well made single track road that disappeared into the forest.

"Where are we going Edward?"

"I want to see my old house again. I didn't want to, but now I'm curious. Do you mind?"

"No, of course not."

Edward followed the track and eventually a beautiful house appeared in front of them. The wooden cladded walls blended in with the forest surrounding it and the dark tinted windows reflected the colour and shapes of the trees so it looked as though the house had grown out of the ground. Bella's car window was slightly open and she could hear the sound of rushing water and directly in front of them she saw a crystal clear river tumbling over rocks and boulders before it disappeared from view into the forest.

"Oh Edward, what a beautiful house" Bella said. She turned to look at Edward but he was lost in his memories and she didn't want to disturb him further. They sat there for a few minutes then Edward went to start the engine.

"I just wanted to see it again Bella. I loved this house, even though most of the time I was lonely and unhappy here."

"I'm sorry Edward" Bella said and she laid her hand on his arm and gave it a gentle squeeze.

As he turned the key to start the car the main door of the house opened and Alice Whitlock walked out onto the step and waved at them.

"Holy Shit" Edward said. "What do we do now?"

"Wave back and go?" Bella suggested.

"We can't, that would be rude."

"What do you suggest then?" Bella said unhelpfully, but she was at a loss and was feeling very embarrassed.

Alice was walking down the step towards them just as Jasper appeared in the doorway. Bella pressed the button to make her window go down a bit further.

"Hello Miss Swan, can we help you?"

"Err. Hello Mrs. Whitlock, ummm this is a coincidence. My friend Edward here... he used to live here ten years ago and he wanted to see his old house."

"Really, how fascinating. Is your name Masen then?"

"Yes ma'am. I'm Dr. Masen's only son. I lived here until I was nearly nineteen."

"Would you like to come in and have a look around, you would be very welcome."

"I wouldn't want to trouble you."

"It would be no trouble at all. Please come in, we hardly get visitors here, which is why we like it admittedly."

Edward looked at Bella and shrugged his shoulders. They both got out of the car and followed Alice up the steps into the house.

"How do you know Bella, err Miss Swan? " Edward said innocently.

"Oh, we're suspects in a murder case, didn't you know?"

Edward coughed. "Really, how fascinating. I presume you've been given the all-clear?"

"Well we don't know. Our business was searched and we have been under surveillance ever since, but I accept it's Seattle's finest doing their duty and I don't have a problem with that. Do come through."

Edward and Bella walked up a staircase which took them to the main living area that had massive picture windows overlooking the river and the tops of the trees and in the far distance she could see the summits of some of the highest peaks in the Olympic ranges.

"What a beautiful room" Bella said as she looked around the pristine living area that was furnished with stylish pieces of modern furniture. Edward quietly stood in the middle of the room while memories, good and bad, flooded his brain.

"You're welcome to have a look at your old room if you like?" Alice said and gestured towards the staircase.

"I'll wait here" Bella said as she could sense Edward needed some time alone.

"Come and sit down" Alice said to Bella and smiled reassuringly at her as Edward slowly walked to the staircase, running his hand up and down the hand rail as though rubbing it would bring back another memory.

"I won't be long" he said to Bella under his breath and he walked up the steps to the place where he spent many lonely hours as a boy and teenager.

"Thank you for letting him do this" Bella said to Alice, "especially after ... you know."

"Oh you mean the warrant to search our premises." Alice clasped her hands together and looked at Bella from under her long eyelashes. "We were anticipating a visit as we knew the police would eventually connect one of the victims disappearing outside our office and one being found close to our home, plus of course the tragic loss of your colleague who was your fiancé I believe. It would have been very incompetent for you not to suspect us."

Bella nodded her head. She could tell Alice was trying to put her at her ease and she was succeeding, but she had to be on her guard as her gut was still telling her these two still had something to hide.

"I suppose you've also discovered we are on the Witness Protection program and I suspect you are wondering why you've met a brick wall when trying to find out more about us. Well I can only say that both Jasper and I are being protected by the CIA, and I'm sorry but we are not at liberty to disclose any information about why we had new identities invented for us. The Government also bought us this house, but that is all I'm able to tell you."

Bella smiled at her but she wasn't convinced. The story was too convenient – Alice was effectively saying 'back-off' and she wasn't prepared to do that, yet.

"How did you manage to get away from your office without being spotted" Bella asked. She had received a text yesterday from Seth to say that they still hadn't left their premises and here she was, sitting in Alice's living room."

Alice giggled. "Look we are really sorry to have done this, but we wanted to have a couple of days to ourselves without being watched." She then told Bella about the three pizza deliveries acting as a diversion and said that they had stolen the idea from an action movie, but she couldn't remember which one. Bella thought this was hilarious and couldn't wait to tell Seth his team had been duped.

She heard Edward walking down the stairs and turned to look at him. She could see he was distressed so she stood up and held her hand out to shake Alice's hand. Alice walked towards her and gave her a hug instead which surprised her.

"I've really enjoyed your visit. Please come again Bella if you are ever in the area, you will be very welcome. That is of course if we aren't serving time in the local jail."

Alice chuckled at her own joke and walked with them to the door. Jasper was nowhere to be seen and Edward was silent, so Bella thanked Alice again and walked with Edward out to the car. She looked back and Alice waved to them, but as she turned to go back into the house a sunbeam came through the clouds and glanced on the side of her face and neck. To Bella's eyes her skin looked like it sparkled, but then she thought it must have been a reflection off the large windows either side of the door. "Weird" she thought.

Edward climbed into the car and sat with his hands on the steering wheel for a few moments while he collected his thoughts. He hadn't realised that going back to the house would trigger so many emotions and memories. He hadn't gone into any other room but his bedroom, which now was being used as a guest room as it was empty other than a bed and a chest of drawers. His en suite bathroom was as he left it and the view across the tops of the trees had hardly changed since he walked out of the room ten years ago.

Memories of his mother had come flooding back to him but most of them were ones that he would rather forget, like when his mother tried to wash his hair with toothpaste, or uncooked food was put in front of him for dinner. He recalled the day his mother was taken to hospital for a short break he thought, but actually she was going to a home to be cared for 24/7. His father tried to explain to him that this was for the best, but he couldn't accept that his mother had gone, but then he was only ten years old.

His teenage years were a blur. He went to school, he came home, he studied, he went to bed. Nothing broke that cycle until 2003 when his uncle won the Nobel Prize and he was taken to Sweden for the ceremony and that was when he decided what he wanted to do with his life. What had happened to his mother, and effectively to him, was wrong. There had to be a way to stop the brain from degenerating and he was determined to find it. He threw himself into his studies and applied to Yale for the courses that would be the best avenue for this type of research. Of course his uncle was already a world-renowned expert in genetics so he was half way there already.

He turned the key in the ignition and the vehicle sprang to life. He negotiated the familiar turning circle in front of the house and slowly drove down the track towards the main road. Something he had just thought about was niggling in his mind and he couldn't bring it out from the depths of his subconscious so he could vocalise it. He shook his head as if to re-jig his brain cells but no luck, it had gone so he pulled out onto the highway and put his foot down.

"Are you okay?" Bella asked.

"Yes, I'm fine now. Just thinking things through, I've got a lot on my mind, can you give me a few minutes."

Bella smiled at him and settled back in her seat. She understood when someone needed peace so she kept her mouth shut while Edward was slowly cogitating whatever was in his brain."

His mind went back to his teenage bedroom again and the memory of the night when he left Bella was still clear to him. He couldn't turn back time but given the choice, he was glad he had not kept the relationship going after the Prom, as he wouldn't have been able to study so diligently if he had been hankering to get back to Forks or Seattle every five minutes. What they had now was worth the wait, so he was content how things had worked out, plus he was a highly-regarded scientist now who could go anywhere in the world to work if he wanted to.

He needed to get back to proper work; before he went to Seattle he had been experimenting on donated brain tissue as part of his research into halting the degeneration of the brain after dementia was diagnosed. His aim was to use gene therapy to prolong the life of the remaining brain cells to improve the quality of life for people suffering from all forms of dementia. He knew the theory was sound, it was finding the right treatment that would take time.

"Hells Bells" he said to himself, "what is at the back of my mind – urgh." He slapped the steering wheel which made Bella jump. "Sorry" he said and turned his attention to the road.

His thoughts went back to his father and uncle. "I must book a plane ticket" he said to himself as he had promised to go back East after the weekend. Hopefully his father would talk to his uncle today or maybe tomorrow, so he should soon find out what his uncle had either discovered or was still working on. He was still angry that he was being kept out of the loop, but he hadn't yet passed on to his uncle that the arm was made of silicon and he had found human blood in the stone-like tissue. He wondered if the first sample of skin in his uncle's possession was still regenerating or had eventually died.

He was worried about his father and his uncle as both were acting strangely. "Perhaps it's their age and they're feeling old" he said to himself and chuckled, then he felt a shiver run down his back as he imagined a world without either of them, but one day it would happen and he would have to carry the baton for the Masen family on his own. His father was fit and healthy as far as he knew, but his uncle was looking more and more decrepit every day. There it was again, like a woodpecker bashing him on the head, something was there in the back of his mind, teasing him to press the right button.

About twenty minutes later they were approaching the outskirts of Port Angeles when Edward let out a yell. "Holy Fucking Christ" he shouted and put his foot down on the gas as he saw a parking lot ahead of him. He raced in and flung the car into the first empty spot. He reached onto the back seat and grabbed his backpack passing it over Bella's head, then started pulling the contents out searching for his cell phone.

"Edward, what's happened?" Bella looked at him in horror as his face was contorted with rage.

"The fucking idiot" he cried. "I know what he's doing Bella."

"Who, Edward?"

"My uncle"

"What is he doing – tell me."

"The experiments Bella, it's worse than Frankenstein. I must phone my father."

"What are you talking about?"

"The tissue that doesn't die Bella, he's trying to find out why the tissue doesn't die."

"What's wrong with that, I thought that was the whole point?"

"If he finds out why it doesn't die, and he can replicate the process ... Oh My God!"

"What's wrong Edward."

Edward shook his head from side to side as if he was trying to deny what was going through his brain.

"If he succeeds Bella, if he can stop cells from dying or degenerating, Oh Jesus!"

Edward was almost screaming in panic – he grasped Bella with his hands on her upper arms.

"With that sort of knowledge, he will have the ability to decide who lives or dies. With that sort of power Bella, my uncle effectively becomes God."

Bella shrieked and clasped her hands over her mouth when the awful truth hit her.

Edward found his phone and with shaking hands he pressed the speed-dial number for his father, who answered on the sixth ring.

"Dad, you've got to stop Anthony, he's trying to discover how to stop people dying."

"I know Son, I'm sitting in his lab right now and your uncle has a gun pointing straight at me."


	20. CSI Seattle 20

**CHAPTER TWENTY**

Earlier that day:

Carlisle had made his mind up that he wasn't going to wait any longer for answers from his brother; time wasn't on his side and yesterday had been a bad day. Since his diagnosis he had been managing the pain with codeine based tablets, but for the first time had to resort to a stronger morphine based drug as the pain was more intense. Also he noticed that his skin was turning yellow and this was a sign that his health was deteriorating more rapidly than predicted. His initial prognosis was three months, but now he was suspecting that his doctor had been very optimistic.

He was still intending to commit suicide when the pain got too much. He was already prepared for that day; the drugs, the alcohol and his favourite music had been prepared and his farewell messages to family, friends and colleagues had been written and deposited with his lawyer along with his will. He would visit his wife, speak to his son, put Ella Fitzgerald on the Hi-Fi, smoke a big fat reefer, get blind drunk on champagne then throw copious amounts of morphine and any other drugs he had available down his throat washing them down with a bottle of his favourite brandy. Then he would lie on the sofa and wait for the white light of heaven or the burning coals of hell, whichever had been chosen for him.

But before that he had to sort out his brother. He guessed that he had discovered something momentous in the strange samples that Edward had brought him, but that was not the whole story. He had witnessed his brother being totally focused on a project to the detriment of everything else before, but this was different; this time he had a manic look in his eye. Edward had said that he was acting like a caricature of a Mad Professor and he was right, he was.

Carlisle drove slowly and carefully to the lab and parked in his usual spot by the lake. He ruefully accepted that he would have to give up driving soon as the morphine was slowing his reactions somewhat, but he was reluctant to give up his independence just yet. He entered the building and said hello to Jane then walked down the long corridor to Anthony's lab. He knocked on the door several times and called his brother's name and eventually he could hear shuffling on the other side of the door. The blind shot up and Anthony's face appeared on the other side of the glass then to his surprise, as he had expected resistance of some sort, Carlisle heard the door being unlocked from the inside.

Anthony opened the door and beckoned for Carlisle to come in. He walked through the door and saw the usually pristine laboratory in chaos. Papers were strewn all over the floor, reference books and scientific journals were lying on the benches and half-eaten microwavable meals were on the benches, on the floor and in a desk drawer. The air smelt musty, as did Anthony, so Carlisle went over to the glass doors that overlooked the lake and flung them open.

"Dear God" he said. "What the hell has happened in here?"

Anthony shook his head and sat on his stool by the bench. He put his head in his hands and let out a long sigh.

"I'm nearly there Carlisle, I'm nearly there."

"What are you talking about Anthony, you're going to have to start from the beginning. I haven't got a clue what you're researching."

"Haven't you? Haven't you thought this through to its logical conclusion Carlisle? And I thought you were the one with the superior brain." Anthony laughed grimly, picked up a sheaf of papers and threw them across the laboratory.

"No, I obviously haven't because I'm completely in the dark," Carlisle responded as he dragged another stool across the floor and sat down facing his brother.

"Anthony, you and I have always thought differently; you were always way ahead of me with your ideas, I just had a bit more skill putting your ideas into practice. We worked well together as brothers should, why can't we work together now? If you've discovered something new and exciting then we should work together as a family, you shouldn't push us away. Edward has a bright young brain and he will take over from both of us when we're dead and gone. For me that is probably only weeks away, for you, well the way you're carrying on you won't be far behind me."

While Carlisle was talking Anthony was staring at the screen in front of him which was still showing the skin sample's cells reproducing in front of his eyes, but he had noticed that the rate of reproduction was now noticeably slowing down, more than likely due to the absence of sustenance from its original host finally taking its toll. He guessed that once reproduction stopped the skin would start to decompose as normal, so his time working on the sample was limited.

On his state-of-the-art equipment in his lab he had been able to investigate what the subtle differences were between the alien skin and normal human skin. The differences were minute, but they were there and just the tiniest fraction of difference to a scientist meant that the skin was either not human or had been human but had undergone a radical change and could now be classed as a new sub-species.

Anthony had also been trawling the internet and his personal library searching for inspiration from previous research, concentrating mainly on the results of experiments carried out by other scientists on organisms found in nature that had extraordinarily long lives. Their research had been published in scientific journals and he had read through countless reports looking for similarities to the tests he was carrying out. He had laughed scornfully at their conclusions as the majority of this research was aimed at producing age-defying beauty products rather than medical advancement. If he was successful in producing a drug that stopped the ageing process, he imagined that Max Factor would soon have a hit-man after him and that thought had made him chuckle.

He glanced at his brother sitting next to him and noticed his skin was slightly yellow, plus the whites of his eyes were looking dull. His brother was dying; he could see the evidence in front of him, but if he could use his brother's brain while it was still functioning then maybe he could help him jump the final hurdle and invent the therapy that could save his life. If it was too late for Carlisle then at least he could halt his own ageing process and cure his own ills. He suspected he was in the first stages of osteo-arthritis which his mother had suffered from and the thought of slowly becoming more and more disabled horrified him.

In one of his experiments he had purposely severely damaged a group of skin cells and had watched them quickly heal themselves under the microscope then go on to multiply as normal. From this experiment alone he had concluded that not only were these cells impossible to destroy and therefore technically immortal, but they had extraordinary powers of healing, so this person, whoever he was, would probably not have suffered any ailments. Anthony was pinning his hopes on the treatment healing his body as well as giving him longer life as his hip joints and left knee were causing him severe pain, especially when he got up in the morning. The last time he drove his Porsche he had great difficulty getting in and out of it and that in itself was a tragedy in his eyes.

Carlisle had offered to help him so he had a decision to make. He had wanted to keep this research to himself until he found the solution but his brain was not functioning properly. He had been making mistakes when recording his results, probably due to lack of sleep combined with the side effects from the cocktail of pain killers and anti-inflammatory drugs he was taking, consequently his analytical thought processes were not working as they should. He needed to walk away and rest then come back and look at his findings with a fresh pair of eyes and hopefully the solution would jump out of the computer onto his lap, but time was of the essence and he was running out of it.

He still presumed he was in a race and there was another lab somewhere working on this as the arm didn't just fall out of the sky, it must have been produced somewhere and he guessed that the owner of the arm was probably the victim of a drug trial that went catastrophically wrong. It was vital for him to be the first to patent the anti-ageing therapy so that his laboratory could reap the profit to fund more and more research and the only thing that gave him a bit of satisfaction was that he was certain that the other lab was unaware they had competition.

He could foresee his company becoming more powerful than Apple or Microsoft; he would be able to attract all the best scientists to his team and he could fund the brightest students through their degree courses; in fact he could eventually create his own University that would be the scientific equivalent of MIT. The possibilities were endless, as long as he got there first.

He accepted then that he needed to confide in his brother. He thought back to their work on the human genome; Carlisle had laid the groundwork to this research then he had walked away from it to go to medical school, leaving him to carry on independently and eventually win the Nobel Prize. Carlisle had never asked to be credited for his contribution and maybe it would be the same this time. He was still reluctant to include Edward though. He was ambitious and had his whole life and career ahead of him. No, he didn't want Edward involved, but he would trust Carlisle and hopefully he held the key that would unlock the final door to enlightenment.

Carlisle was sitting patiently watching Anthony's facial expressions as he considered his offer of assistance. He didn't want to push him as he knew how stubborn he could be, so he kept quiet while the cogwheels turned in his brother's brain. Anthony stood up from the bench and walked over to the cooler and poured himself a glass of water. He offered one to Carlisle but he declined, so he wandered back to his stool still deep in thought; then after a few moments of deliberation he made the decision to tell Carlisle what he was searching for and accept his offer of help, so he turned on his stool to fully face his brother.

"So you want to help me then – like old times?"

"Yes, but you'll have to tell me what you're looking for."

"I'm looking for the secret of life and death Carlisle. This sample holds the key." He pointed to the screen showing the skin sample magnified thousands of times.

"On this screen you can see a sample of either alien or human tissue that doesn't die. Even though it has been cut away from its host and is not being supplied by blood, it is still reproducing its cells."

"So?" Carlisle said, still in the dark.

"If I can replicate this phenomenon and produce a treatment process along the lines of gene therapy, I will be able to stop the ageing process; if I succeed, a human being could effectively live forever."

Carlisle stood up from his stool and backed away from him as though his brother had told him he had a contagious disease.

"No Anthony" he shouted, completely horrified by Anthony's intentions. "This is wrong, you can't do this, think about the implications."

"I have Carlisle. If I can patent this, my laboratory will enter the financial stratosphere. We will have so much money for research we will lead the world in all types of advancements. Think about it Carlisle, think about what we could do in not one but two, three or four lifetimes."

"No, absolutely not. This is totally unethical and against the laws of nature." Carlisle couldn't believe that this was what his brother had been working on and he knew he had to convince him to stop. He walked back to his stool and sat down in front of him again.

"Anthony, we are born, we live and we die to make way for the next generation. You cannot alter this fundamental fact of life. I'm not going to be any part of this and I'm going to do everything in my power to stop you taking this research any further."

"And how are you going to do that?" Anthony said as he stood up and crossed the room and opened a drawer.

"By telling Edward what you're doing; by making sure the arm in Seattle is destroyed and if it comes to it, getting you committed to a mental institution until you come to your senses. You have to stop your investigations right now."

"I can't do that Carlisle. I'm going to carry on with them until I succeed. You may be able to accept that you're dying but I can't. If there is a chance I could live forever then I'm going to take it. When my work is complete, I'm going to test it on myself, I'll be the first human guinea pig and if it kills me, so be it. You're not going to stop me, there is too much at stake."

Carlisle stood up and quickly reached across the bench and dragged Anthony's microscope towards him then attempted to snatch the sample off the glass. Anthony grabbed hold of his jacket and pushed him away and held a gun under his chin.

"Move away Carlisle or I'll use this on you, don't think I won't" he hissed and Carlisle heard the gun click and knew he meant business.

"You're crazy Anthony, you've taken leave of your senses. If you kill me you'll be arrested for murder."

"I don't think so Carlisle, remember you're dying from cancer. I'll tell the police that you came into the lab to say goodbye and you shot yourself in front of me. Now sit down."

Carlisle sunk down onto his stool defeated. He knew he had lost this round but his mind was working overtime wondering how to stop his brother who had turned into a madman. The age-old dream of defying death had gone to his head and sent Anthony to crazy town and he was at a loss what to do.

As far as he knew Edward was still oblivious to his goal and for the moment he wanted it to stay that way as he feared for his safety. Luckily he was on the other side of the continent out of harm's way so Carlisle knew it was down to him to resolve this situation before it became a catastrophy, but how?

Just at that moment his cell phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket under the watchful gaze of Anthony. "It's Edward" he said. "He'll worry if I don't answer it."

Anthony nodded his assent. "Don't say anything" he said and pointed the gun at his chest.

Carlisle answered the call but before he had a chance to say anything he heard Edward's worried voice and he knew instinctively that Edward had worked it out for himself.

_"Dad, you've got to stop Anthony, he's trying to discover how to stop people dying."_

_"I know son, I'm sitting in his lab right now and your uncle has a gun pointing straight at me."_

* * *

Alice straightened the cushions on the sofa where Bella had been sitting and walked over to Jasper who had just come in from the garden. She put her arms around his neck and gave him a gentle peck on the cheek then made him sit down on the sofa so she could cuddle up to him on his lap.

"I like Bella" she said. "I think I could be friends with her. She is very clever and not frivolous like most of the human females. I sometimes regret not having girlfriends to go shopping with or do other girly things with. I love you Jasper, but you're not a girl."

Jasper laughed. He understood where Alice was coming from. They were isolated here but they had made the choice to live like normal humans so had walked away from coven-life. Occasionally they had left Seattle to visit Peter and Charlotte or occasionally to visit their 'cousins' who were fairly nearby in Alaska, but had only made that trip once in the past ten years. On their last visit Jasper had sensed that one of their male guests was coveting Alice, so they had cut their visit short and returned home after only a few days, resolving not to return until this particular individual had moved on.

There were other covens around but they had no contact with them as they resided mainly in the south of the country which always mystified Jasper as it was hot and sunny in the southern states, which of course caused problems as they couldn't go out in direct sunlight. However this minor problem was a small price to pay for the convenience of having a plentiful food source on hand, as these covens mainly fed on illegal immigrants entering the country from Mexico knowing that their disappearance wouldn't be reported.

Jasper always had an escape route planned if their cover was blown and he was tempted next time to settle in either northern Canada, Scotland or Ireland. He knew the weather was pretty dire in these countries, so would be ideal. He had not heard of any covens in Scotland, but he knew of at least two in Ireland and one in Canada and they lived as they did, blending in with the general population and only feeding on animals. He looked around him and knew that they would eventually have to leave this house and the beautiful forest that surrounded it and it was not a day he was looking forward to.

"Come on Alice" he said. "We'd better start heading back to Seattle. We've work to do and also I'm sure Miss Swan has told her colleagues already we are here, so if we set off now we can wave at the surveillance vans as we pass them on the 101 going in the opposite direction."

Alice giggled. "They're only doing their job Jasper. Anyway, I'm hoping that Bella will tell them to back off, now she's seen that we are just a totally normal couple!"

"I don't think so darling, they still haven't found the serial killer and of course we know they are never going to find him, so we'll have to get used to being watched as I doubt they have any other leads to follow."

Alice jumped off his lap and collected all the bags she was going to take back to Seattle with her. "Okay let's go" she said and sprang in one leap down the flight of stairs that led from the door to the car while Jasper locked up.

"You know if we ran all the way to Seattle it would be quicker than going by car" she said as she slung her bags in the trunk.

"True" Jasper replied from the top of the steps, "but I like driving with my hand up your skirt and I can't do that when I'm running can I?"

Alice squealed with laughter as Jasper leapt from the top step to stand beside her.

"Time for a quick one in the forest?" he said and waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Alice tipped her head to one side as though she was thinking deeply. "Why not?" she said, so Jasper picked her up in his arms bridal style and with a short run-up, leapt over the river to a spot by the waterfall which was one of their favourite places for making love and their journey home to Seattle just had to wait for a little while longer.

* * *

"What do you mean they've gone?"

Seth was furious. He had received a report from one of the surveillance teams that the Whitlock's had managed to get out without being seen. As there hadn't been any signs of life or visitors to the building for the past two days, the current surveillance team had got a colleague to dress up as a UPS delivery driver and call at the office on the pretext of checking an address. There had been no response from several attempts over two hours, so the assumption was that they had given them the slip. Seth had teams watching both the front and rear of the building day and night and it was now obvious that one of his teams had messed up, but of course he didn't know which one so he didn't know who to verbally slap.

"Do you want us to stop the surveillance Boss?"

"No, you fucking stay there until they return, and let me know when that happens."

Seth slammed his phone on the desk, leaned back in his chair and put his hands on his face. "Fucking morons" he said to the ceiling.

He picked up his phone again, amazed it was still working after the abuse it had just suffered and punched in the speed dial for Bella's number. She answered it quickly.

"Seth can I call you back, I'm in the middle of a crisis here."

"Okay Bella, I was just calling to say the Whitlocks have slipped away and we don't know where they are."

"I know, I've just come away from Alice's house, they're in Forks. I'll call you back Seth," and the line went dead.

Seth scratched his head and looked at his phone. 'This case just gets weirder and weirder' he thought to himself.


	21. CSI Seattle 21

**CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE**

"What do you mean he's pointing a gun at you Dad, has he gone mad?"

"Yes, I suspect he has Edward, but I think you'd better talk to him." Carlisle handed the phone over to his brother who took it awkwardly in his left hand while his right hand held the gun.

"Uncle, what the fuck is going on?"

"Don't swear Edward."

"You're pointing a gun at my father and you're telling me not to swear, you fucking asshole."

"I'm doing this for your father Edward, if he would help me with my research I could save him."

"What do you mean save him, what are you talking about?"

Anthony looked over at Carlisle who was shaking his head, pleading with him with his eyes not to say any more.

"Your father is dying Edward; he has pancreatic cancer. If you help me find what I'm looking for I can save his life. You would want me to do that wouldn't you?"

"Oh Jesus" Edward cried and tears started rolling down his cheeks. Bella could only half-hear the conversation so had missed the bit about cancer and didn't know what was going on. She had heard Edward say the word 'gun' but hadn't heard a shot.

"You've guessed what I'm looking for, haven't you. I'm nearly there Edward, I've almost cracked it and when I do it will change the world. There will be no more sickness, no more death unless it's an accident. Can you imagine a world like that Edward?"

"I can uncle, but it wouldn't be a world I would want to live in. I don't think you've thought this through."

"There's nothing to think about. I'm getting old Edward, I don't want to be ill anymore and I'm not ready to die just yet. I don't want your father to die either. I need his help and I need your help, but first of all I want you and Miss Swan to bring the arm to my laboratory. Nobody else must know of it, do you hear."

"I can't do that uncle, I'm not prepared to help you destroy life as we know it. You're fucking crazy if you think I'm going to help you defy nature. I want to speak to my father, put him back on."

Anthony passed the phone back to Carlisle who was distraught. "You had better convince him" he said with venom.

Carlisle took a deep breath and composed himself then held the phone up to his ear. "I'm sorry son, I was going to tell you to your face when you came home next week. I haven't had the diagnosis long so I haven't been purposely keeping the news from you."

"When did you get to know Dad?"

"The day before you broke up with Annabel. I didn't want to say anything then as your life was already in turmoil. Will you forgive me?"

"Of course I forgive you and I want to be there with you, but what do you want me to do dad, do you want me to comply with Anthony's wishes?"

"Absolutely not son and if Anthony shoots me now, then I've only lost a few weeks of life which are going to be painful ones, so actually he would be doing me a favour. So if this is the last chance I have to speak to you I will tell you again that I love you and I am so proud of you. Keep an eye on your mother as often as possible."

Edward was sobbing now. "I will Dad. Please try to convince Anthony to stop doing what he's doing. He hasn't thought of the consequences. Please talk to him.

"I'll try son, I'll try."

Anthony snatched the phone from Carlisle. "Are you bringing the arm to me Edward?"

"No, you can go to hell you stupid fucking prick and if you touch one hair on my father's head, no amount of death-defying drugs will save you because I know how to destroy the tissue and believe me uncle, you will burn on this earth slowly and painfully before you burn in hell."

* * *

Edward switched the phone off and fell into Bella's arms; she held him as he sobbed and she could feel his body shaking from a combination of shock and grief. She was at a loss what to do or say as she hadn't heard the whole conversation, but she could guess part of it. As she was consoling him her cell phone rang and it was Seth. After a brief conversation she switched her phone to silent; she didn't want any more interruptions.

Edward's sobs abated and she dried his face with some tissues she had in her backpack. When he had calmed enough to speak, he told her how the conversation went and Bella was horrified that he had to find out this way that his father was terminally ill and also that his fears about Anthony's intentions had been confirmed.

"I can't believe it Edward, do you honestly believe he could create a drug that could keep humans alive forever?"

"I don't know Bella, but if anyone can it will be him. I'm sure given time he would find a way to slow down the degeneration of cells so a human could live for hundreds of years, but it's wrong, you can't mess with nature."

"What do you think we should do with the arm Edward?"

"Burn it! We've get back to Seattle and burn it Bella so no-one else is tempted to do this. The rest of the body has been burned and the arm should never have fallen into our hands. I blame myself for taking bits of it to my uncle; I was so stupid."

"No you weren't. Your intentions were honourable; you were inquisitive and that's what good scientists are. Nothing new would have been discovered if scientists in the past hadn't thought 'why did that happen?' Take Penicillin for instance; if Fleming hadn't been curious about that bit of mould on the Petri dish, he would never have discovered a treatment that has saved millions of lives. You gave the samples to your uncle for the right reasons, so don't forget it."

Edward nodded at her and then started weeping again.

"My father's dying Bella. I can't imagine life without him."

"I'm so sorry Edward, I'll help you through this, I promise."

Bella held him in her arms as he wept for his father. If Bella had been looking at the road in front of them, she would have seen Jasper and Alice drive past on their way back to Seattle, but she didn't see them, she was concentrating on the man she loved who had fallen to pieces in her arms.

* * *

"So are you going to shoot me?"

"I don't know Carlisle, are you going to betray me?"

"That depends on what you do next Anthony. Why don't you put the gun down for the moment – I'm not going to destroy your experiments, or run off to the Government, or even get you committed; can you just relax and we'll talk this through."

Anthony toyed this over in his mind and then threw the gun across the bench where it came to a stop next to a filing tray.

"Let's walk down to the lake Anthony, it's better to talk there than it is up here surrounded by all this mess."

Anthony nodded then slowly stood up and with Carlisle's help made his way carefully through the glass doors into the sunlight and fresh air. After the musty stench that was surrounding them in the laboratory, the aroma of freshly mown grass was like French perfume to their noses and they both took a deep breath of the clean air at the same time.

Carlisle assisted Anthony as they walked down the slope to the bench. "You need a walking stick" he commented, but Anthony went "Pfft" and waved his hand dismissively in the air. They made it to the bench and sat in contemplative silence for a few moments, surveying the still water on the lake that was only being disturbed by the ducks and geese who were enjoying the warmth of the afternoon sun.

"So, you're going to try and talk me out of carrying on I suppose?"

"No I'm not, because anything I say would fall on deaf ears wouldn't it? I just want YOU to stop for a moment and think of the consequences of what might happen if you succeed in discovering whatever is slowing down the degeneration of these cells."

"What is there to think about, people will live longer, if they wanted to they could live forever."

"But you haven't thought of the implications for our world Anthony; the impossible dream of endless life has blinded you to the reality of how our society exists on this small, overcrowded planet."

"Tell me then Carlisle, what is so wrong in humans living long, healthy lives. Only a few thousand years ago a human's life expectancy was less than thirty years. Now we can expect to live into our eighties, nineties and even over a hundred if we're lucky. Improved living conditions and medicine has allowed this to be, so what is so wrong about taking the next step in our evolution? Can you explain that to me Carlisle?"

"The reasons why it's wrong are endless Anthony, what about jobs for instance, have you thought of people's jobs?"

"What's that got to do with it? What jobs, whose jobs?"

"Well if people start living for hundreds of years, you will have generations of people unemployed. There are millions of people looking for work in America today, now, this minute. What would happen if you were lucky enough to have a job, but not allowed to retire until you were, say, five hundred years old and then after that, how long would your retirement be and who would pay for it? Come to think of it would you be happy to be a miner for several lifetimes, or a street cleaner, or even a doctor?"

"Well people could change careers"

"But there would be no jobs Anthony, nobody would get sick or die remember? Let's take this further, what about relationships and marriage. Would you want to be married to the same person forever?"

"You could get divorced."

"What if you're religious and you've married in a church in front of God. Do you promise to be faithful but only for a hundred years?"

"That's just being stupid Carlisle."

"No, it's being practical. The whole structure of our lives would have to be reviewed and re-written, even for people who get life sentences in prison. Would life really mean life and would mass murderers also be entitled to this treatment?

Anthony didn't have a reply to this and remained silent.

"Alright Anthony, what about medicine, doctors and nurses and all the drug companies and businesses associated with keeping us alive. All these people would suddenly be out of work, apart from those involved in obstetrics. Come to think of it, how many babies could a woman have in an extended lifetime, five, ten, a hundred? Medical Insurance, Life Insurance, thousands of companies would go to the wall if Anthony Masen discovered the secret of long or endless life. "

Anthony stared at him incredulously, but Carlisle wasn't finished yet. He could tell Anthony was at a loss for words as the realisation that he hadn't thought this through hit home.

"So tell me, who are you going to give it to?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well you can't give it everyone."

"Why not?"

"There are seven billion people in the world already Anthony. What is going to happen to the population if everyone starts living for hundreds of years? We can't feed the world's population now, so what the hell do you think will happen when the population suddenly explodes?"

Anthony thought about this for a few moments.

"Well we could just give it to a few chosen people, then at least we would still need hospitals and insurance."

"Okay, let's examine that scenario. You announce to the world that you can extend life indefinitely, but only the chosen few are going to have this benefit. Who gets to choose who gets the treatment and therefore live much longer? Would that be you, or would the decision go to a committee?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well you would effectively be creating a master race; those who have been chosen will be strong and fit and will live for hundreds of years and those who aren't will live short sickly lives. Can you imagine the resentment that will provoke?

Anthony was speechless.

Carlisle was on a roll now and he wasn't going to stop. This was his only chance to get Anthony to see sense and stop what he was doing before it was too late. He had to play his trump card now.

"Will you just give it to Americans or will the Russians and Chinese get some too?"

"I don't know. I haven't thought that far."

"No you haven't Anthony. If foreign powers suddenly realised that the great and good of America were suddenly living to more than a ripe old age, they would want to know what the hell was going on. Think about all the despot leaders the world has seen over the past few centuries and there are quite a few in the world today; do you honestly think they wouldn't start a war to try and get their hands on the stuff.

Anthony put his head in his hands. "I only want to help people Carlisle. My whole life has been dedicated to that end and when I saw what was in front of me, I just wanted to use it for good. The money it could have earned the lab could have paid for more research; the possibilities were endless."

"I know Anthony. I understand your dilemma, but you know you mustn't carry on with your experiments now, there is too much at stake."

Anthony nodded his head and Carlisle put his arm around his brother's shoulders as they sat in silence watching the ducks paddling around the lake, oblivious to the discussion that had just taken place that could have changed the world forever.

Anthony eventually stood up. "I really need to go and clean up my lab."

"Do you want any help?" Carlisle offered.

"No, I'll be fine. I think you need to go and talk to your son and put his mind at rest and then help him come to terms with your condition."

"You're right. I will call him as soon as I leave here. Let me help you up the slope though."

Anthony leaned on Carlisle's arm and they both struggled up the incline to the doors of the lab. Once inside Anthony pulled the door shut and locked it. "You should leave that open, it smells a bit musty in here" Carlisle said. Anthony laughed, "I think it's me who smells musty. Now off you go and call my nephew. He must be worried sick."

Carlisle embraced his brother. "I'm glad we were able to sort this out. You have an unblemished reputation in the world of science; you should leave the world with that untarnished."

Anthony nodded his head and practically pushed Carlisle out of the door. "Go on, off with you" he said and closed the door behind him.

Carlisle started walking up the corridor and heard a click. Was that the lab door being locked again? Maybe he imagined it, so he kept on walking, thinking about the difficult phone conversation he was soon going to have to have with Edward.

* * *

Anthony locked the door and walked over to his bench. He picked up some papers that were strewn across his keyboard and shuffled them into a neat pile. He removed his gun from the bench and put it back in his drawer then touched the mouse on its pad which brought the image of the skin sample back onto the screen in front of him. He sat for several minutes watching one particular cell slowly dividing to become two separate entities then turned his attention back to his notebooks detailing his results so far.

His left knee was throbbing painfully just from that short walk to and from the lake and he could see that it was swollen without pulling up his trouser leg. His other knee was hurting too today and his finger joints were stiff and sore, partially due to the arthritis but also because he had been writing so much over the past few days. He thought about Carlisle's suggestion to get a walking stick and he scoffed.

He leaned over his bench and pulled another notebook out from underneath some files and looked at the calculations once again. He was so close; he just needed that last smidgeon of inspiration and he would have the result he was looking for.

He thought about what Carlisle had said to him. It made sense. The world couldn't support billions more people and only giving it to a chosen few would cause bitterness and resentment, and yes, it could start wars, but that wouldn't stop him continuing with the research. He wanted it for himself. He wasn't going to sit in his chair and deteriorate when he held the answer to good health and long life in his hands. He wanted more than the three score years and ten that this fictional God had promised him; he wanted at least double that and more if it was there for the taking.

"Stuff you Carlisle" he said to the air around him. "What you don't know can't hurt you."

So Anthony turned back to his experiments and the angels held their breath as the earth wobbled on its axis once more.

* * *

They had been sitting in their car for over an hour. Edward was still in pieces and Bella was at a loss what to say to him. She had held him, she had kissed him, she had whispered words of support and love, but he was still unable to hold it together for more than a few minutes and then another wave of despair would engulf him. She had run out of tissues and Edward had his head buried in one of her sweatshirts which was now wet with his tears.

She was holding Edward's phone when it rang and she saw from the screen that it was Carlisle. "It's your Dad" she said and shook Edward's arm.

"Dad" he cried down the phone. "I thought you were dead."

"Not yet son, not yet."

"Are you still with Anthony?"

"No, I'm in my car; we had a long talk and he has agreed to stop the research."

"Thank God, but how did you manage that?"

"We talked about the implications it would have for the world and eventually he saw sense."

Edward let out a sigh of relief even though on the face of it, that was the least of his worries.

"I'm coming home Dad."

"Alright son, when you can but don't rush. I'm not going to die tomorrow so no need to panic. I've got things to do this weekend, people and places to see, so leave it for a few days. We can talk on the phone anytime remember. Anyway I think both of us are too emotional for rational conversation at the moment."

Edward laughed grimly. "Alright Dad, I'll come home after the weekend. We're on our way back to Seattle from Forks at the moment and I've a lot to tell you."

"Oh, okay, well I'll look forward to that. Goodbye son."

"Goodbye Dad. I love you."

Edward switched the phone off and looked at it. How many more conversations did he have left with his father? He had been so cavalier before about keeping in contact, and now he was appreciating every precious second when he could hear his voice. The words of an old song came into his head; 'you don't know what you've got till it's gone', but his dad hadn't gone yet and at least he would be able to spend some quality time with him before the end, and for that he was grateful as a lot of people didn't get that luxury.

He rubbed his face with Bella's sweatshirt and turned the key in the ignition and pulled out of the parking space.

"Let's go home" he said.


	22. CSI Seattle 22

**CHAPTER TWENTY TWO**

Jasper parked the car in his rented garage and then emptied the trunk of all their belongings that they had brought from the house, which were mainly bags full of Alice's clothes. They walked the short distance to their office building and as Jasper unlocked the door they turned and waved to the surveillance team in the van.

Once inside, they deposited the bags in their private living room and settled down to get some work done. Alice was handling the investments of several large charities at the moment and she switched her computer on to see what had been happening on the stock market while they were away. Of course she already knew as her ability to see the future was a great help when investing money, but she was very careful that she didn't draw attention to herself, choosing occasionally to make a bad investment but only with small sums of money. She knew that several account managers in New York had watched her investments and mirrored them, which is why occasionally she would purposely have a bad patch and they would lose interest.

Jasper handled all the paperwork including IRS returns associated with the investments. It was a quiet time of year as not many companies ended their financial year in the summertime so he was on top of things. He took the opportunity to examine their own holdings which were substantial due to Alice's timely investment in companies who were doing very well, even in this stagnant economy.

He was just wiping some junk e-mails from his in-box when Alice leapt away from her desk and held her head in her hands.

Jasper shot out from behind his desk and was next to her in the blink of an eye. "Alice, what's the matter, what's happened?"

"I don't know Jasper, I'm having a strong vision, let me think."

He led Alice back to her seat and knelt down next to her while she massaged the side of her head and opened and shut her eyes as the vision became clearer.

"What did you see Alice?"

"The stock market, it's going to crash Jasper, like when it happened in 1929, do you remember? Thousands of companies will go to the wall and millions of people will be out of work."

"Why?"

"I don't know, I can't see at the moment."

Alice squeezed her eyes shut and sat absolutely still for about ten minutes as countless images tumbled through her brain. Eventually she opened her eyes and stared at her computer screen.

"I don't understand Jasper, they are the most secure companies around."

"What are?"

"Drug companies, medical research institutions, private hospitals, they are all going to be worth nothing soon and I don't know why."

"How soon?"

"Weeks I think."

"That will give you time to withdraw your investments."

"I can't and that's not the point Jasper. If I move all the money and then the crash happens, it will be highly suspicious that we've had inside information and even though the powers that be won't be able to prove anything we will be investigated, and we don't want to be investigated do we?"

"No, I suppose not, but what can we do then?"

"If millions of people are out of work, every other business will suffer so their shares will be worth nothing too. We're heading for a meltdown and I don't know why."

"Are you sure you're right Alice."

"Oh yes, the visions are terrible. 1929 will seem like a walk in the park compared to this."

Jasper was concerned. Alice was always right and it seemed as though they were heading for a national catastrophe, but what kind, they needed to know.

"Go and lie down and think Alice, this is important and we need to be prepared. I'll close down the office for the day while you think this through."

Alice went up to the room with the bed and lay down and closed her eyes to aid her concentration. Over the years she had trained her brain to filter out all the worthless visions that tumbled through her mind; when she tried to explain her gift to Jasper she said it was similar to listening to hundreds of people talking all at once but still being able to hear the one person who says your name or talks about you.

She had some good clues to start with. The crash was obviously health-related as the first businesses to go under were life and medical insurance companies who crashed simultaneously over the course of one night and then drug companies followed, their shares collapsing like a house of cards. "What could cause this sort of effect" she thought. If it was an epidemic, the drug companies would be worth a fortune; it must be something else. The only solution she could think of was a miracle drug like a cure for cancer. That would certainly cause an upset in the market but not to this extent. She needed to concentrate harder.

She lay there absolutely still for about an hour while she slowly filtered out images that were flashing like beacons in her mind. Finally one image started appearing frequently and as it slowly became clearer she was able to decipher the following headline in a newspaper that would be dated 4th August, which was in about six weeks time:

**_Miracle Drug Discovered_**

Followed by an article - she couldn't read every word but the gist of it was:

**_Professor Anthony Masen, renowned scientist and Nobel Prize winner for his work in genetics, has not denied reports that his laboratory has produced a drug that will prevent illness, slow the ageing process and therefore extend our lives by many hundreds of years. _**

**_Details of his discovery were leaked to this newspaper by a member of his IT staff in return for his/her anonymity and personal financial reward. Professor Masen's findings have been passed to an independent team of scientists for verification and the results will be published here shortly. This newspaper would like to stress that Professor Masen's findings will not be disclosed to any third parties for financial gain._**

**_We understand that Professor Masen has applied to have his discovery patented so that his laboratory, based in Hartford Connecticut, will be solely in control of its production. It is understood that Professor Masen is in hiding and security at his laboratory has been trebled. Further details about this amazing discovery and its implications for the nation's health will be brought to you as soon as they are available._**

Alice sat bolt upright on the bed. Her brain was doing somersaults and back flips as the events and coincidences of the past few days started falling into place. She spoke out loud to herself:

_"Professor Masen is a scientist – Edward Masen is a scientist – they must be related._

_Bella Swan is in the police service – she is with Edward. They have suspicions that we are involved in the serial killings case, which we are, technically._

_Edward and Bella were in the meadow two days ago. I saw their car when we were chasing the herd. We went to the meadow after we fed and Bella's scent was near the site of the fire. I recognised it from when she searched our premises._

She sat on the edge of the bed deep in thought and eventually she put two and two together and enlightenment came in a blinding flash.

_Oh God No!"_

"Jasper" she yelled and flew down the stairs to the office and went straight to her computer.

She clicked on the Google icon and tapped away until the website for the 'Peninsula Daily News' appeared on her screen. She started at a date just over three weeks ago and began scanning the stories submitted by the local police forces in Port Angeles, Sequim and Forks from then on. She flicked through the site until she found the article she was dreading and then let out a strangled cry. Jasper had been standing behind her and was at a loss to know what she was searching for, but when he saw the headline he groaned as the realisation hit him that they had made a huge blunder, the implications of which were impossible to imagine.

**_Gruesome Discovery in Forks_**

**_Chief of Police, Charlie Swan, has reported that a human arm was discovered by hikers Tom and Mary Bailey in a forest clearing close to Forks. After examining the site, the arm was taken to Seattle for analysis and will remain there until the rest of the body is discovered. At this point in the investigation police are unable to confirm whether this find is linked to the serial killer who is currently terrorising the inhabitants of Seattle. _**

Then she tapped 'Edward Masen' into Google and Edward's brief entry in Wikipedia popped up which confirmed he was a medical research scientist and the nephew of 'Nobel Prize Winner Professor Anthony Masen.' "I knew it" she muttered.

Alice quickly told Jasper what she had foreseen happening in August and that she had guessed the link between Edward and Professor Masen. She had recognised Bella's scent in the meadow near the site of the fire but had thought no more of it until she read the newspaper report that was still six weeks away from being written. It was obvious that Professor Masen had got hold of all or part of the arm, probably through Bella asking Edward to look at it because she didn't know what to do with it or have the skill to discover more about it, and Edward must have then passed it to his uncle who had obviously been experimenting on it with disastrous consequences.

"What are we going to do Jasper?" Alice pleaded. Her foresight was failing her and she was starting to panic as the repercussions were too awful to contemplate.

"We've got to sort this before Aro finds out; he won't stop and ask for explanations."

"We need to get the arm back and burn it then get to Professor Masen and stop him before it's too late. We can still prevent this happening."

"Yes, we need to do that, but don't forget, we're being watched. It's not going to be easy."

"Jasper, hold me, I'm frightened."

"We'll sort this Alice, don't worry." He flung his arms around her and held her tightly. If Alice had been able to cry she would have been sobbing right now.

* * *

Edward and Bella arrived back at the apartment and Bella insisted he should lay down and sleep for a while while she made dinner. The journey back had taken longer than usual because of heavy Friday traffic plus he was mentally exhausted, so he didn't argue but went quietly to the bedroom and shut the door.

Bella took the opportunity to call Seth back and she heard him bark "Clearwater" when he answered the phone, obviously not checking to see who was calling him.

"Hi Seth, it's Bella. Sorry I took so long to get back to you."

"That's okay Bella, you sounded very stressed. Have you sorted out your crisis?"

"Yes and no, it's a personal matter Seth, can I leave it at that?"

"Okay, if I can help at all just let me know. So you saw the Whitlocks did you?"

"Yes, they were at their house in Forks."

"Why were you there?"

"Ummm ... I met a guy from school who used to live in their house and we went down to take a look. We didn't think they would be there because your guys were supposed to be watching them. Alice saw us parked in their drive and invited us in."

"You went into their house?" Seth said incredulously. That was very dangerous Bella, they could have been armed."

"I was with the guy and we couldn't really say no as we had to tell them it was his old house as a reason for being there."

Bella related the conversation she had with Alice and that she claimed that the CIA had organised their new identities. Seth wasn't buying it and Bella agreed.

"Do you still think they are involved with the serial killings Bella?"

"I don't know. My gut feeling is they had nothing to do with the killings but possibly, maybe, the murderer is or was known to them.

"Why do you think that?"

"Just that there are too many coincidences and also that they are strange. There is something not right about them that makes my skin crawl, in a non-pervy way, which sort of matches the strange way the victims were killed and dumped. We still cannot explain how it was done."

"I understand what you're saying but at the moment I can't find a reason in my head to keep them under surveillance, can you?"

"No, especially as they know you're there, so they are hardly likely to do anything to make us more suspicious."

"Okay, we'll back off then and let them be for a while. Fortunately the killer seems to have moved on as it is three weeks since the hiker was killed."

"Agreed, but it is getting more and more likely that we'll never know who did it and effectively the killer has got away with it, which will not go down well with the public or Seattle's politicians."

Bella hung up after promising to keep Seth up to speed with any information that came her way.

* * *

Edward woke up feeling refreshed for just a few moments then the memory of his conversation with his father crashed over him like a tsunami. He lay on his back with his hands on his face, trying to stifle another bout of tears as the awful truth hit him again that his father was dying. He eventually got up and wandered into the bathroom and washed his face before heading for the kitchen where he could hear Bella clattering about with pots and pans.

"Hi" she said and then she noticed his red eyes, so she stopped what she was doing and put her arms around his waist and hugged him. "I'll be there for you Edward, I'll help you get through this."

Edward kissed the top of her head and they stood there for a few moments just holding one another in a loving embrace.

They eventually broke away and Bella returned to making lasagne and garlic bread which was her speciality. She opened the fridge and took out a bottle of Frascati and poured Edward a large glass. "Drink" she said, which he did.

Over dinner they talked about how they were going to dispose of the arm, which was an unusual subject for the dinner table. They couldn't set light to it in the lab as it would set the sprinklers and fire alarms off, so they would have to get it out of the building and burn it on some waste ground somewhere, preferably without being noticed. They decided to go to the lab tomorrow,which was Saturday and would be quieter than usual, smuggle the evidence box out then try and find a suitable spot to burn it where there were no witnesses. She would try and think up to a story to tell Victoria when it was 'discovered' that the arm had disappeared from the cold storage room.

Bella related her recent phone conversation with Seth and that he had decided to pull the surveillance teams from watching the Whitlocks. Edward was surprised at this as like Bella, he suspected they were involved somehow.

They had moved over to the sofa and were both lying full length with their feet up when Edward said out of the blue "let's go over what we've got and see if we can make sense of it."

"What are you suggesting then?"

"Think about it. We are sure that the serial killer was the guy with the arm, because of the haemophilia blood evidence."

"Yes" Bella agreed.

"But we also know that this guy was either not human, or had been human and something had happened to him to change the structure of his body."

"Yes"

"So maybe what happened to him made him instinctively want to kill people and live off their blood."

"You mean like a vampire?"

"Yes, but obviously not a vampire, but the fundamental changes to his body made him act like one; maybe it was the only way he could get sustenance as his digestive system could have been radically altered."

Bella mulled that over and agreed that it was a plausible scenario.

"True, but what about the Whitlocks, how are they involved?"

"Well maybe they know the people who are doing the experiments. I'm pretty confident that this guy was the product of a drug trial that went catastrophically wrong, like Thalidomide, but the drug had positive as well as negative effects, I suppose something like Spiderman or Dr. Jekyll."

"So what you are saying is that the Whitlocks may have known that this guy was a guinea pig and then they probably killed him to stop him killing more people when they realised what he was doing."

"Possibly, or maybe the guy knew the Whitlocks before he was changed and went back to them for help, but they couldn't help him."

"That seems more plausible. The Whitlocks don't seem like scientists to me so I can't imagine they would know the sort of people who would be doing experiments on humans."

"I agree; maybe they were protecting him or possibly confining him in their building and maybe he was escaping when he jumped out of the window and then attacked the man in the overcoat."

"But do you think the Whitlocks would have stood by and let him murder three more victims before killing him."

"Maybe they didn't know about victim numbers nine and ten and went after him after the hiker was killed, but they would have certainly known about Jacob."

Bella nodded and thought about that.

"So, after Jacob was killed, the area was saturated with police. He probably left the Whitlocks then, killed two more people and the hiker and then they caught up with him and finished him off."

Edward nodded, "this is all guesswork of course, we could be totally off track."

"I know, but it's making us think logically about what could or couldn't have happened."

They sat there quietly for a few more minutes thinking about different aspects of the case and all the different questions that still weren't answered.

Edward broke the silence first. "If it was a drug experiment that went wrong, as well as his cells not degenerating it also gave him super-human powers. Think about what he could do; he could jump from high buildings, lift heavy bodies and move at the speed of light."

"I wonder whether he wore his underwear outside of his pants as well" Bella quipped and giggled.

Edward sat up on the sofa as suddenly a terrible thought sprung into his mind.

"Bella, if he was that strong, that fast and virtually indestructible, how did the Whitlocks manage to catch him and kill him?"

"They must have laid a trap."

"No Bella, think logically. Think about the Whitlocks for the moment." Edward got up and started pacing up and down the room as a piece of the puzzle finally found it's rightful place.

"How old does Alice look?"

"Oh shit."

"They're not getting any older Bella, they must have the same type of body structure as the killer. You said Alice hasn't aged in the last ten years and there was something strange about her. When you were with her, did you touch her?"

"Not her skin, I offered her my hand to shake but she hugged me instead which I thought was a bit odd."

"Remember when we were in the car driving away from the clearing we saw a flash, it must have been them. They must be super-human too."

"Oh Jesus, what are we going to do Edward?"

"I don't know, I'm going to have to think this through. Just give me a moment."

Edward sat down and put his hands over his face then lay back on the sofa. He was starting to panic a bit as this was way above his head and also this knowledge could put them in danger if the Whitlocks found out that they had worked out they were not entirely human. But first things first, they needed to get rid of what was in the cold storage room before someone else found it and started asking questions which would implicate Bella in a conspiracy to withhold information.

"We've got to get rid of the arm and I think we should do it now."

"But it's nine o'clock at night Edward."

"The lab will be deserted then, so we can get in and out without a problem."

"Okay" Bella said and jumped up off the sofa and put some shoes on.

Edward grabbed the keys to the SUV and they were out of the door within minutes.

As their car raced through the streets of Seattle towards the lab they had no idea that firstly they were being followed and secondly, that this was the start of what was going to be the longest night of their lives; a night that would change their lives forever.


	23. CSI Seattle 23

**CHAPTER TWENTY THREE**

The building where Bella's lab was situated was deserted as it was late on Friday night; the majority of staff had left for the weekend and were probably in bars and restaurants across the city recovering from a long week at work. As there had been no disappearances or murders for at least three weeks, life in Seattle was starting to return to normal and the city residents were once again venturing out to make the most of the long summer nights in town.

Despite the image portrayed on TV programs like CSI or NCIS, the Seattle labs weren't manned 24/7 as the public finances couldn't afford that number of staff. There was normally a skeleton staff on call at night and at weekends who could come in at a moments notice for emergencies, but on Friday night everyone in the building packed up at six, apart from the security guards who monitored the building from a central point in reception.

Bella insisted on checking they were alone when they exited the elevator on her floor, so she walked ahead cautiously through the eerily quiet lab that was lit only by emergency lights and a desk lamp that had been inadvertently left on. It was midsummer in Seattle and the sun had set about half an hour ago, so a bit of natural light was still filtering through the windows, but Bella was used to seeing her surroundings bathed in bright white light so the atmosphere in the silent laboratories was a bit creepy.

Neither of them had a clear plan for disposing of the arm and both were very apprehensive about what they were about to do. They had to get the box and its contents out of the building without being stopped by Security, but they would worry about how to do that when they got back down to Reception. Then they would have to find somewhere deserted to burn the arm, which would probably mean that they would have to drive out of the city into one of the surrounding woodland areas and find an isolated spot somewhere to do the deed.

As she pulled her keys out of her bag she beckoned Edward to follow her and they walked together down the internal staircase to the cold storage room. She unlocked the door and as she turned the handle and started to push the heavy door open, they both felt the air swirl around them and Edward shouted "what was that" as he spun around to see what had flashed past him.

Bella clutched hold of Edward's arm in terror as they pushed the door open fully, then she let out a scream before muffling it with her hand. Edward flung his arms protectively round her before looking straight ahead into the eyes of Jasper and Alice Whitlock who were standing directly in front of them inside the room.

"Hello" Edward said, trying unsuccessfully to sound calm. He could feel Bella shaking with fright but he knew he had to hold it together for the next few minutes. If they wanted what was in that drawer he wasn't going to argue, they could have it - problem solved.

Edward cleared his throat and said in the most controlled voice he could manage, "I believe we have something of yours and I guess you've come to collect it," then he lunged forward to catch Bella who had fainted while he was holding her in his arms.

Alice rushed towards him and helped Edward move Bella to the one and only chair in the room. "Shall I get her a drink of water" Jasper offered and Edward nodded as they supported Bella's limp body as she came back to the land of the living.

Alice and Jasper backed off while Edward held the cup to Bella's mouth, managing to get her to drink a few drops before she pushed the cup away with her hand. "Are you okay?" he asked and Bella nodded, but she was still unable to string two words together or look at Jasper and Alice who were standing only a few feet away.

When Edward was satisfied that Bella was recovering, he stood up straight and held out his hand for Jasper to shake. Jasper leaned forward and took Edward's hand and held it for a few seconds longer than necessary and Edward at that moment knew that his theory was correct, as Jasper's hand was as cold ... as stone. Their eyes met as a mutual understanding flashed between the two of them, then their hands loosened their grip.

"What you want is in the drawer over there" Edward said, pointing to the wall of metal drawers. "I've either used or destroyed all the samples that we took from the arm and all the test results are back at Bella's apartment, so the only remaining pieces of tissue and evidence of you and your friend's bodily make-up are either in Bella's refrigerator or in my laboratory in Connecticut."

"So you've guessed what we are then?" Jasper asked calmly.

"No we haven't, and I know we're not entitled to an explanation but we're both scientists and we would like one to satisfy our curiosity."

Jasper and Alice looked at each other and both nodded their heads at the same time.

"Agreed, we will tell you but not here; but you must assist us by helping us to destroy your uncle's research before he discovers our secret."

Edward was astounded when Jasper mentioned his uncle and wondered how they had found out he was involved, but he decided not to ask any questions. He wanted this drama over, Jasper and Alice gone and for Bella to be safe.

"If you already know about my uncle and his work, you'll be pleased to know that he agreed to stop his research today, so that won't be necessary."

Jasper shook his head. "I'm afraid you've been misinformed Edward. Your uncle is carrying on with his experiments and very soon he'll make the discovery that on paper will look as though he's found a way to stop a human body degenerating. Unfortunately his findings will be stolen by one of your colleagues in your lab's IT department who will hack into his computer, then his research will be passed on to a newspaper who will commission a team of scientists to verify his findings."

Jasper paused to allow Edward and Bella to take in this information before continuing. "Professor Masen will find out that the paper has got hold of the research and he will then rush to patent the discovery in an effort to keep control of its production. As this is happening an article will appear in the newspaper, irresponsibly announcing that a miracle anti-ageing, death-defying drug has been produced and once his findings have been verified by their scientists and confirmed in print the next day, this will culminate in the collapse of the stock market. Insurance and Health related companies will fold and millions of people jobs around the world will be under threat.

"How do you know all this; can you see the future?" Edward asked incredulously.

Alice spoke for the first time. "I can see glimpses of the future Edward and I assure you I've seen it happen. Nothing however is cast in stone, the future isn't certain and we can stop this happening if we act now. If we don't act it's probable that others of our kind will stop him when they find out what he has discovered and that scenario is too terrifying to contemplate!" Alice clutched hold of Jasper's hand as she said that and he squeezed it in an effort to reassure her.

Alice continued. "I remembered your name from when you visited our house and we knew you had both been in the meadow, then I connected your name with Professor Masen and guessed that he was in possession of the arm or part of it. If your uncle isn't stopped either by us or others of our kind in time, he will be credited with this discovery and when the research is confirmed as valid by independent scientists on August 5th there will be a financial meltdown, even before it's been tested on a human."

"You said that on paper it will look as though he has discovered how to prolong life; what do you mean, won't his treatment work?" Edward was confused now.

Jasper continued. "I said 'on paper' because on paper his research and conclusions will be sound. He will have discovered how to reproduce the chemical properties that are present in our species that if transferred to a human would stop their body from degenerating, but unfortunately there is quite a profound side-effect that no one will be aware of until the treatment is used on a human guinea pig."

"What is it?" It was Bella's turn to speak for the first time.

"Well isn't it obvious, he will turn a human into one of us."

"What do you mean one of us, what are you?" Edward said, but he knew what Jasper was going to say before he opened his mouth.

"We are Vampires Edward and Bella. Your uncle won't discover the secret to endless life, he will just discover how to artificially turn a human into a Vampire."

Bella fainted again.

* * *

Edward threw Bella's keys over to Jasper and pointed to the correct drawer, then he picked Bella up in his arms and carried her upstairs to her lab. Alice followed and Jasper joined them a few minutes later with the evidence box and handed the keys back to Edward.

"We'll deal with this then we'll come to your apartment as we need to discuss what to do next. I presume you're going straight home?" Jasper asked.

"Yes, we'll clear up here and be back in about half an hour; hold on I'll write our address down." Edward grabbed a note pad and pen and started writing.

"Not necessary" Jasper replied and touched his nose. "We picked up Bella's scent in the city which led us to her apartment. We were just about to come into your building when we saw you leaving so we followed you here."

Edward looked slightly bewildered when Jasper spoke of Bella's scent, then he watched with fascination as Alice and Jasper walked away in the direction of the elevator carrying the evidence box then they disappeared ... in a flash.

Edward's mouth dropped open. "I'm in the middle of a fucking horror film" he said to himself, then he turned his attention back to Bella who was slumped over her desk.

"Edward, what's happening?" she mumbled quietly.

"It's alright now Bella, I'm here. We're going home now. Can you walk?"

Bella nodded her head and Edward helped her stand. Slowly they walked to the elevator and a few minutes later they were in their car on the way back to the apartment. Edward held her shaking hand the whole way back but he was having difficulty concentrating on the road as his mind was trying to compute what he had just learned.

"Vampires" he said to himself. "There must a mistake, they can't be Vampires, real Vampires, blood sucking Vampires, that's all tosh." But Jasper's hand was icy cold when they touched and Edward guessed that if he cut him he wouldn't bleed. Their existence fitted in with the serial killer's victims being drained of blood, but strangely he didn't feel unsafe in Jasper and Alice's presence and he wondered why that was.

"Should they be going back to the apartment or running for their lives" Edward thought. Whether he felt safe or not, he had just agreed to meet with two Vampires and he was putting not just his life but Bella's life in danger also. They had met with Jasper and Alice before; if they'd have wanted to kill either of them they had already had plenty of opportunities. And where could they run too? If Vampires could follow their scent they wouldn't get very far before they were caught. It was better that he found out as much as possible about Vampires now and then decide what action to take to stay safe.

Edward's mind was still working overtime when he pulled up outside the apartment and helped Bella get out. As they were opening the outside door to the apartment block, Alice and Jasper appeared out of nowhere and quietly followed them in. Once inside, Edward made sure Bella was comfortable on the sofa and gestured for Alice and Jasper to sit opposite them. He offered them a drink but they declined.

Bella was staring at them wide eyed and it was obvious that she was terrified. It had taken her several weeks to recover from seeing the Tom Cruise film 'Interview with a Vampire' and she had avoided horror films ever since as they gave her nightmares. Now she had two real-life Vampires sitting in comfy chairs in her living room and she was almost hyperventilating.

Jasper could sense her discomfort. "Bella, we have no intention of hurting either you or Edward either now or in the future. We may be Vampires, but we don't drink human blood. Both Alice and I survive on animal blood only, so you're quite safe."

Bella relaxed slightly and leaned against Edward who put his arm around her and kissed her on her forehead. Until Jasper declared what their eating habits were, he thought they only had a fifty fifty chance of surviving the night and now the odds had definitely moved in their favour.

"Are you really Vampires?" Bella whispered. Alice nodded, "Yes Bella, I'm well over a hundred years old and Jasper is much older. We've been together for nearly a century now."

Edward was fascinated. "So you don't need human blood to survive?"

"No" Jasper replied. "Human blood can sustain us for longer and is more satisfying, but we can live well on animal blood. We were hunting deer when you nearly ran us over in your car by the way."

"Sorry" Edward said and chuckled.

"That's okay; your car would have come off worst if you'd hit us. It would have been the same as driving into a wall." It was Jasper's turn to laugh then.

Alice piped up. "I'm sure you have a million questions to ask about the arm, but would it be better if Jasper and I told you the story from the beginning?"

Bella and Edward nodded, so as Bella's clock approached the midnight hour, Alice and Jasper settled back in Bella's comfy armchairs and Jasper started telling the story of how a Vampire's arm came to be in the forest near Forks.

* * *

**Readers: I would LOVE to start the next chapter with 'Once Upon A Time' - but I'm going to resist !**


	24. CSI Seattle 24

**CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR**

**Early March - Cullen House, Forks**

Jasper and Alice raced each other back through the forest after their hunt. The snow was thick on the ground and it had been easy to track mountain lion and deer so they were well fed today. The weather was bitterly cold; colder than usual for the beginning of March and they had already decided not to attempt driving back to Seattle until the temperature rose above freezing. They held hands as they sprang over the icy river and bounded up the stairs to the door.

Laughing, they shook the snow and ice from their clothes and dragged their boots off, dumping them in a cupboard in the hallway then made their way up to their first floor living room. Alice followed Jasper up the stairs and as they reached the top steps she heard him gasp. She looked ahead of her and saw Jasper's oldest friend Peter sitting on one of their sofas with his head in his hands.

They could tell that he was agitated so Jasper approached him cautiously; "Peter, what's wrong?"

Peter shook his head from side to side. "Charlotte's dead."

Alice let out a cry and Jasper groaned. "What happened Peter?"

Peter bent his legs up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them, banging his forehead on his knees. It took him a few minutes to compose himself.

"A new coven moved into our area and one of the males made a play for Charlotte. She refused him, obviously, but he persisted. This went on for several weeks then one night he challenged me to a dual, winner takes Charlotte. Charlotte told him that there was no way she would be with him, but he attacked me anyway."

Peter straightened his body out from its fetal position and put his head in his hands, squeezing the temples in anger. He took a few moments to control himself before he carried on.

"We fought for hours and I killed the bastard. I tore him apart and burnt his body, then I went to find Charlotte but she had gone. What I stupidly didn't anticipate was that he had given his coven instructions to snatch Charlotte while we were fighting so that they could hold her and stop her escaping when he won, but they were to kill her if he lost the fight. I found them after they burnt her alive Jasper and they walked away from me laughing."

Alice shrieked out. She loved Charlotte and she knew that she had been as in love with Peter as she was with Jasper.

Jasper sat next to him and put his arm around his shoulder. "I'm so sorry Peter, I can't imagine what you're going through." He looked up at Alice before saying "you can stay with us for as long as you like, you know that don't you."

Peter nodded his head. "Thank you" he replied.

Jasper got up and took Alice by the arm and propelled her into the kitchen. "Are you okay with this?"

"Yes, of course I am, why?"

"Because Peter's a true Vampire remember, he doesn't feed on animals."

"Oh crap! What are we going to do?"

"We can't stay here, the population is too small to sustain him. We're going to have to go back to Seattle."

"Find out when he last fed, hopefully he's not desperate."

"Okay, but be ready to leave if necessary."

Jasper wandered back to where Peter was sitting looking out of the window at the snow-covered trees and the frozen river.

"You have a lovely place here Jasper, I can understand why you've made this your home."

"Thank you, Alice and I love it and we're going to stay here as long as possible. We live off the animals in the forest and don't have to go much further than the Canadian border to find bears, mountain lion and large deer. It's an ideal spot."

Peter pulled a face. "Sounds positively disgusting."

"When did you last feed?"

"About four days ago in Los Angeles. A German tourist, over for some convention, I hid the body in the desert."

"So you're okay for the moment?"

"Yes, so don't worry about your neighbours Jasper."

"You'll have to come with us to Seattle in a few days, but please be careful, it's a small city and if someone disappears it's headline news."

"Don't worry old friend. No-one will know I'm around, I'll be discreet."

They spent the evening reminiscing about old times when they wandered together through the southern states until the day Jasper found Alice and his nomadic days were over. As they talked Jasper was concerned for Peter's state of mind. He could tell that Peter was not himself, which was understandable in the circumstances, as he would occasionally go into a trance and stare into space for several minutes then would snap out of it as if nothing had happened.

They spent two more snowy days in Forks then the temperature rose above freezing and they decided to head back to the city. They packed the house up and set off along the still treacherous 101, not stopping at all to admire the spectacular alpine-like scenery on the way.

The journey took much longer than usual even though the snow ploughs had been working overtime. Alice was frankly getting fed up with Peter muttering that he could run faster; she almost said "why don't you" but put it down to stress over the loss of his mate. She had always enjoyed Peter and Charlotte's company when they visited, or they visited them, but Peter on his own was hard work, plus he was commandeering Jasper's time and she was starting to feel a bit resentful.

They had reached the outer suburbs when Peter leapt out of the car while they were stopped at a junction. "I'll see you later" he said and licked his lips. Alice cringed because she knew what he was going to do and it disgusted her. "I do hope he's careful" she said to Jasper.

"I just hope he takes a long time" Jasper replied grinning. They hadn't had sex since Peter appeared in their house and Jasper was just as desperate for Alice as Peter was for blood.

Alice saw the glint in his eye and knew exactly what he meant. "Well put your foot on the gas husband, we haven't got all day!"

* * *

Peter turned up at their office at about three in the morning. Alice was reading a book and Jasper was playing computer games on their wide screen TV. He threw himself down next to Jasper and watched in fascination as Jasper whooped the ass off every baddie that came his way.

"Did you feed?" Jasper asked, even though it was obvious as his pupils were redder than before.

"Yes, just a down and out. Smelled of booze and cigarettes, a bit disgusting really but he was quite young. Weighted his body down and threw him in the Sound."

"Okay Peter, I don't need all the gory details" Jasper responded and turned his attention back to the game.

They played computer games for several hours until the sun came up then Alice and Jasper opened the office and worked for the rest of the day. It wasn't until the morning of the next day that they heard on the news that a business man had disappeared two nights ago on his way home from work and a police video of his wife and children begging for news of his whereabouts was flashed up on the screen. Jasper looked over to where Peter was sitting and raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing to do with me" he said innocently and carried on playing his computer game.

A week later a teenage girl disappeared from her bed on the same day the businessman's body was found. This time the girl's body was discovered after only two days by a man walking a dog.

Just under a week later a young man disappeared walking home from a night out with friends and his body was found fairly quickly nearby. After this murder, the police made the statement that they believed a serial killer was at work in Seattle and warned people to be on their guard, not to walk alone, take pepper spray out with them and to report anything suspicious. Both Alice and Jasper were concerned, but Peter denied responsibility and as he was now going into the city every evening because he was bored rigid sitting in the office during the daylight hours, they couldn't check whether the disappearances coincided with his outings.

When victim number seven disappeared, they decided to take action. They knew that the Volturi's spies monitored the whole world for anything that might bring unwanted attention on their kind, so it would only be a matter of time before Seattle was visited by a deputation from Italy. Jasper confronted Peter and said that it was too much of a coincidence that the killings had started immediately after he had arrived. Peter shrugged his shoulders but offered not to leave the building until the next murder had been committed to prove it wasn't him. As the police hadn't mentioned anything about how the victims died and Jasper was unaware that the victims' blood had been drained, he had to give Peter the benefit of the doubt.

On the night when victim number eight was due to be attacked, Jasper and Alice had retired to their living room to relax. Jasper had been reading a novel during the day and had left the book on his desk so he got up from his chair and went to retrieve it. Just as he turned to go back to the living room he noticed a flash of movement outside on the sidewalk and knew immediately it was Peter as his incredible eyesight saw a clear image of his brown leather jacket.

He ran to the door leading outside and flung it open, but the street was already deserted, so he locked the door and sprinted up the stairs to Peter's room on the third floor where they had set up a massive wide-screen TV and an X-Box to keep him amused during his voluntary incarceration. The TV was on but Peter was nowhere to be seen. Jasper looked around the room and noticed that the window overlooking the street had been unlocked and was slightly open; he knew then that Peter had got out that way.

"Damn it" he said and flew down the stairs and told Alice what had happened.

They decided there and then that Peter had to be stopped. He was killing indiscriminately and not hiding the bodies which was breaking the most important Vampire law and would certainly culminate in the wrath of the Volturi coming down on them. Jasper realised with horror that the police would be carrying out autopsies on his victims and would be wondering why their bodies had been drained of blood. Thankfully this information had been kept from the public for the moment but he knew it was only a matter of time before the Volturi showed up on the city's streets.

The penny dropped then and Jasper knew what Peter was doing. "He's committing suicide" he explained to Alice. "Peter knows Aro will send the guard to kill him and that's what he wants. He can't live without Charlotte so he wants to die and he'll carry on murdering indiscriminately until he's stopped."

Alice was shocked that she hadn't foreseen this herself, but she knew that Jasper was right and it was their responsibility now to either get Peter out of Seattle or to kill him themselves, which she knew Jasper would never be able to do.

They waited for Peter's return but he didn't come back that night, or the night after, in fact they didn't see him again for almost two weeks. During his absence the police had visited their office and had removed their CCTV tapes covering the evening when victim eight had disappeared from their street. Jasper cursed himself that he hadn't had the presence of mind to check the back-up tapes before he handed them over to the police officer and he prayed that there was no incriminating evidence on them.

While Peter was away the police announced that two more bodies had been found and were named as possible victims of the serial killer. They could not confirm this straight away as the cause of death, which had never been disclosed, was not exactly the same as the first eight. Jasper and Alice were puzzled by this and suspected a copycat killer could be on the loose.

Peter turned up one overcast afternoon looking dirty and dishevelled and disappeared up to his room without speaking to either of them. When Peter eventually reappeared wearing some of Jasper's clothes under his leather jacket, Jasper confronted him.

"Peter, we've been friends for over two hundred years but I'm ordering you to leave Seattle now, tonight. If you want to die, go to Italy and ask the Volturi to do it, but you must stop murdering innocent men and women."

Peter scoffed dismissively. "Don't be such a hypocrite Jasper. When I told you I'd fed from a down and out you didn't bat an eyelid. Why should his life be considered less important than anyone else's? I was created to kill, to feed off the human race, I'm only doing what comes naturally."

"No Peter, you're feeding indiscriminately and cruelly and also you'll be bringing the wrath of the Volturi down on yourself. Maybe you want that, but Alice and I don't want to be caught up in your own suicide. So we want you to leave us; get out now."

Voices were being raised and if anybody had been passing by they would have easily heard the conversation from outside. Alice walked over to the window and looked down the street just to check no-one had heard and noticed a man pacing up and down on the opposite sidewalk staring at their building, and in a car parked on the corner a young woman was watching him. Alice's sixth sense told her that they were police officers and a chill went down her back.

She called Jasper over. "I think we're being watched" she said and pointed to the man.

Peter came over and laughed dismissively. "So I've been tracked down have I? Well let's see if he's got the balls to arrest me then." He leapt towards the door and flung it open as Jasper tried to grab him.

"No, don't do it", he shouted, but Peter shook him off, and in a flash he was across the street and with one stroke to the neck Jacob was dead.

Alice and Jasper sprang after him but in the split second it took Peter to kill Jacob, Alice noticed that the girl had opened the car door and was starting to get out. Alice changed direction and hit Leah on the back of her head, knocking her unconscious but not killing her.

Jasper picked up Jacob's body and flung it away so it landed next to the car away from the front of their building then he got hold of Peter and dragged him back into the office.

"You fucking idiot, you've killed a policeman. This place is going to be swarming with Seattle's finest any minute now, so just get the fuck out of here and don't come back. I never want to see you again."

Peter straightened his clothes and without looking back or saying a word to his oldest friend, he walked out of the door and in a flash was gone.

Jasper's knees went from under him and he collapsed onto the floor. Apart from Alice, Peter was the only person in the world he considered to be family and now he was gone. He had had to think of Alice's safety before loyalty to his friend and he knew he had no option but to distance himself from Peter to avoid the wrath of the Volturi. He just prayed that Peter would do what he asked and get out of Seattle.

Within a few minutes a crowd had gathered around where Jacob and Leah were lying face down on the sidewalk and a few minutes later police cars and ambulances had saturated the area. This time Jasper had the presence of mind to wipe the CCTV tapes of evidence before the police came knocking.

Jasper and Alice were shaken to the core by the events of the day so decided to close the office as soon as possible and leave for their house in Forks. After giving a brief statement to the police saying that they hadn't seen or heard anything, they left just as it was getting dark and arrived at their house in the early hours of the morning and hunted as the sun was coming up.

During the afternoon of the following day they noticed that helicopters were circling above the house and the surrounding area, so Jasper turned on the TV and internet to find out what was going on. A young student had gone missing overnight in the National Park and police helicopters and dogs were searching for him. Both Alice and Jasper thought that it was possible Peter might be heading for their house to use it as a refuge, presuming that they would still be in Seattle and Jasper guessed that the hiker's disappearance was probably his responsibility.

"This has got to end" he said to Alice and without another word they left the house and went out into the forest to look for him.

Within half an hour of searching the area they had picked up Peter's scent and followed it until they came across him sitting on the edge of a clearing. They walked up to him cautiously but he made no attempt to move; he just looked at them with blood red eyes, which was confirmation that he had just had his fill.

Jasper looked at him in disgust. "He was a young boy and had his whole life ahead of him. Why did you do it?"

"Why should he have a life when I've had mine taken away from me Jasper, tell me that?"

"So that's why you've been killing people who have good lives, people with families, with dependents, teenagers, mothers and fathers. You want revenge for your own loss. You're sick in the head Peter, I don't know you anymore."

"Oh don't give me all that sanctimonious shit Jasper. How many people have you murdered in your lifetime; you didn't change your ways until you met Alice so give me a break."

"So you're not going to stop, you're going to carry on murdering indiscriminately?"

"Yes Jasper, and I'm heading for Forks. They've got a good school there I hear, lots of bright young students I can get my teeth into." He laughed out loud, taunting Jasper who stood there with his hands clenched, shaking in anger.

"No!" Jasper shouted, then he sprang on top of Peter and pinned him to the ground. "Alice, help me" he screamed and she rushed to his aid, grabbing one of Peter's arms and pulling it out of its socket then flinging it away from her. Peter screamed and fought Jasper with his remaining arm, but Jasper managed to get his hands around Peter's head and snapped his neck but Peter's eyes could still see and his lips were still moving. Alice ran round to the other side of Peter's body and after dragging his hand away from Jasper's neck, wrenched his other arm off, then she got hold of his head while Jasper was holding his body down and tugged hard, but she didn't have the strength to separate it from his shoulders.

Now Peter's arms had gone, Jasper was able to reach inside his pocket and grab the lighter that he had picked up before he left, hoping he wouldn't have to use it. As he jumped off Peter's writhing body he dropped the naked flame onto his torso then turned his back as he couldn't bring himself to look at his friend's face melting in the heat, but as he walked away he heard Peter whisper "thank you." Alice picked up the arm and flung it into the inferno and within a few minutes all that was left of Peter was smouldering ash that was either glowing in a pile on the ground or blowing in the wind.

Jasper was overcome with grief at the loss of his oldest friend and he collapsed onto his knees hunching himself into a ball, rocking from side to side. Peter was the only person he could talk to about the old days and now no-one was left alive who had been with him when he had lived in the South. They had supported each other through good times and bad and in every respect they were as close as brothers. Now Peter was dead and the link to his past had gone.

Alice rushed to his side and flung her arms around him trying to comfort him but he was inconsolable. He was unable to cry but he wailed for the loss of his friend. He had suffered loss before but Peter was the only person who could bring him back to the real world when the nightmare of the atrocities he had committed before he met Alice came back to haunt him. He had killed many people, men and women, young and old, and occasionally memories of his past sent him into a dark place and he would stay there for months on end. Alice would contact Peter who would come and patiently talk him through his traumas and in due course he would be able to live with his conscience again and return to normal life. "Who would be able to help him now" he thought in his anguish?

Eventually Jasper composed himself and sat on the ground beside the blackened earth covered with Peter's ashes. He accepted now that Peter had decided he didn't want to carry on living without Charlotte and had chosen to follow her to whatever afterlife was waiting for their kind. Jasper thought about what he would do if he lost Alice and he knew that he wouldn't survive without his mate for long, but he hoped he would still have the presence of mind to find an easier and less violent way to leave the world.

As he sat next to the remains of his friend, Jasper now knew for certain that Peter had come to Forks with the sole intention of dying at his hands rather than the Volturi's and that Peter would have known that he wouldn't have the mental strength to kill him unless he was provoked to such an extreme that he would act on impulse. Peter had carried out the carnage in Seattle to take Jasper to his breaking point and had succeeded in tipping him over the edge.

Peter had committed suicide and his weapon of choice had been his oldest friend.

* * *

**Plea from the author - please don't give Peter's name away if you are kind enough to review. In the next chapter will be an explanation of why Peter didn't just commit suicide (I'm sure you're dying to know - I was relieved when I found out - phew)!**


	25. CSI Seattle 25

**CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE**

Edward and Bella listened to the story with open mouths. Whilst they were horrified at the violence carried out by Peter purely as a means to an end, they were fascinated to learn about the Vampire way of life and both of them had a multitude of questions they wanted to ask.

Edward got in first as he was interested to know how long parts of their bodies could survive without a host and the scientist in him couldn't resist asking the question.

"We don't know, it varies" Jasper responded. "Normally a limb is burned along with the rest of the body or it succumbs straight away, usually as soon as the host's head is destroyed, but limbs have been known to survive for days. We think it depends on when the host last fed; Peter had just drained the body of a fit young man so it's possible that because he'd just consumed high-quality young blood before he died, this helped his limb stay alive for many days afterwards."

The question that had been bugging Bella throughout the last part of Jasper and Alice's story just had to be broached.

"Why didn't Peter just set light to himself if he wanted to die?" she asked; she couldn't understand why he couldn't have just started a fire of his own and jumped into it.

"There is something deep in our sub-conscious that stops us taking our own lives" Jasper replied. "Many Vampires have tried to commit suicide in the past, but we cannot physically do it to ourselves; our instinct to survive is too strong. I tried many times before I met Alice because I was disgusted at my way of life and didn't know there was an alternative way of existing. I've stood in front of a blazing fire desperately wanting to end it, but couldn't override the survival instinct to walk into the flames."

Alice grasped Jasper's hands and kissed them. "I'm so glad you didn't kill yourself" she said and looked lovingly into Jasper's eyes. Bella and Edward glanced at each other slightly embarrassed at the PDA; the obvious devotion between these two Vampires wasn't something they were expecting.

Jasper tore his eyes away from Alice and continued. "Even though Peter wanted me to kill him that day, his instincts were still compelling him to fight to survive. If Alice hadn't have been there, he may well have killed me instead. The only way for our kind to control our own departure from this world is to go to the Volturi in Italy."

"So the Volturi are a bit like a police force for Vampires and your kind has a code of conduct you must follow?" Edward thought this was the most bizarre piece of the story and was intrigued how this worked.

"Yes" Jasper said. "The Volturi Vampires are very old, extraordinarily powerful and have spies everywhere, in fact we are amazed they are not here already."

"Because of the killings in Seattle?" Edward assumed.

"Yes, that" Jasper replied, "but also yours and your uncle's work. It's possible they already know about your research on the arm."

"How would they know we're involved?" Bella asked sounding worried.

"They can hack into every computer system on the planet and would know if an organisation or individual was searching for information that could lead them to exposing our kind. Also they surround themselves with gifted Vampires like Alice who can read minds or foretell the future."

"So it's possible they know about my uncle's research" Edward asked.

"Yes, but hopefully not, in fact I'm guessing not as Alice wouldn't have had her vision."

"Why, what would they do?" Bella said, now sounding very concerned.

"They would kill your uncle without hesitation" Jasper said.

Bella shrieked and Edward put his arm around her.

Edward's mind was frantically trying to imagine what his uncle would have searched for on his computer and if he was in danger. "The lab's computer system has incredible fire-walls and security, they would find it very difficult to break in" he said.

Jasper laughed grimly. "If they wanted to hack in they could. If your uncle's lab can access Google or any other search-engine on its system, they can get in as soon as any member of your staff signs in. It's like an open door to them."

Bella asked a question. "If you can see the future Alice, then surely you must know if the Volturi come for Edward's uncle?"

"The only information I can see at the moment is that your uncle disappears, but that could change, nothing is certain; even the newspaper article isn't certain, it's just one of several scenarios. Whether he disappears voluntarily or by the hand of the Volturi is hidden to me at the moment so I cannot tell if he survives or not. However, if by some miracle they don't know yet, once this article is printed they will know and will come after everyone associated with it."

Jasper cut in. "It's vital we stop your uncle as soon as possible so you will have to find a way to convince him to give up his experiments. Edward, this affects us as well as your family. If the Volturi find out that we've caused this problem, it's possible we would not survive either as they are ruthless."

"Do you mean we're in danger too?"

"Yes, anyone who knows about this discovery will be at the mercy of the Volturi."

Bella buried her head into Edward's chest and her body was shaking uncontrollably. Whatever they expected to learn tonight, they weren't expecting to find out that their own lives were in danger from an outside force.

Edward looked Jasper in the eyes, "I want you to be straight with me Jasper, I don't want a bullshit reply, Bella and I have a death sentence hanging over our heads don't we?"

Jasper nodded his head. "Yes, if the Volturi get wind of this, they will kill everyone involved. They may even go after the hikers who found the arm and Bella's father plus everyone in the lab, the newspaper and their scientists. They won't stop until the evidence of their existence is obliterated from the face of the earth. The fact that you've found out that Vampires exist would be reason enough for them to come after you. Our laws insist that Alice and I should kill you both now then go after your uncle, but we like you both very much as people and neither of us has killed a human since we met nearly a hundred years ago, and we don't intend to start again."

"What can we do?" Bella shrieked. She was sobbing into Edward's chest, unable to look at either Alice or Jasper.

"Immediately go to Connecticut and convince your uncle to stop his experiments and destroy his research then we'll have to watch and wait to see if the Volturi act. Alice is unable to foresee whether any of us survive for any length of time so our fates are in the balance."

Edward was shaking his head. "We could destroy Anthony's computer files and burn his notes, but the knowledge will be in my uncle's head forever. We can't stop him going back to his research in the future, you know that Jasper?"

Edward realised then that his uncle was a danger to them all and frankly he couldn't see him coming out of this alive; but protecting Bella was his number one priority now and if it came to a choice he would have no option but to condone the murder of his uncle to save her. He sincerely hoped it wouldn't come to that, but when he recalled the manic look in his uncle's eyes and also the fact that he had promised his father that he would stop his research then carried on with it anyway, that convinced him that any attempts to talk him into stopping would probably be futile.

Jasper nodded as he guessed what he was thinking; "I'm sorry Edward, but our anonymity must be protected from the human race at all costs and I'm sure you appreciate the reasons why."

"We'll fly to Connecticut tomorrow" Edward said. "I'll get on the internet now and book four air tickets."

"That won't be necessary" Jasper said. "We have our own means of transport; we'll meet you at the laboratory."

Alice and Jasper stood up. "We'll leave you now" Jasper said, "I'm sure you have a lot to talk about and we are truly sorry that you've been caught up in this. It was our mistake that the arm wasn't destroyed with the rest of Peter's body and we sincerely hope that we can stop the fallout from spreading further."

Alice walked over to Bella and crouched down next to her then put her cold hand on her arm. "Be strong Bella, I promise we'll do everything in our power to make sure you survive this unharmed; we know that if it had been anyone else but you who had found the arm it would have fallen into the hands of government scientists, then the world would have found out about our existence; so for your silence we are truly grateful."

Bella nodded her head, unable to speak. She was terrified and hadn't stopped crying since the awful realisation hit her that her life was in danger, but she believed Alice's words and they made her feel slightly more confident that she may survive this.

As they were leaving Jasper turned to Edward; "please don't think about running; there is nowhere on earth where you could hide from the Volturi."

"I have no intention of running Jasper; my family is also partly responsible for this mess and I intend to help you clear it up. I will see you tomorrow in Connecticut."

With that Alice and Jasper left the apartment leaving Edward and Bella clinging to each other on the sofa trying to come to terms with the nightmare they had just found themselves in.

"Edward, I'm so frightened" Bella cried. "I don't want to die."

"I know my love, I'm frightened too. We've just got to hope and pray that no-one else knows about my uncle's work and we can finish this once and for all tomorrow."

"But what if he refuses to cooperate. He's your uncle, will you be able to stand by and watch him being murdered?"

"I hope it doesn't come to that Bella, but what can I say to him to convince him to stop when we get there, something like '_Uncle, guess what? The skin sample belongs to a Vampire.' _Do you honestly think he'll believe me?"

"If we introduce him to Alice and Jasper, possibly."

"I don't know Bella; my uncle lives in the real world not a fantasy one and he doesn't believe in God. He's a scientist and the laws of nature and evolution are his religion. We're dealing with the supernatural now; with beings that are not subject to the normal laws of the earth. I'm still having difficulty coming to terms with the fact that Vampires exist, even though I've seen their powers with my own eyes.

Edward pulled Bella closer to him and kissed her on the forehead. He was scared too but couldn't think of anything to say to her that would put her at her ease. He wanted to take her away and hide from the world, but he knew they would be defenseless if the Volturi found them, and they would spend their whole lives looking over their shoulders suspecting everyone around them. He had considered leaving Bella in Seattle tomorrow morning, but if they were both going to die he wanted to be with Bella at the end.

A thought suddenly occurred to him. "Bella, they've got no idea that my father knows about all this."

"Are you going to tell them?"

"I don't honestly know; he's dying anyway so it wouldn't be putting his life in any more danger if we told Jasper and Alice that he knows. If his whole family disappeared overnight, his last weeks of life would be even more painful."

"Sleep on it Edward, things might seem clearer in the morning."

"Okay" he said and kissed her. He got up from the sofa and walked over to Bella's laptop and searched for flights to Connecticut. He found one that left at 7.30 in the morning so booked two seats. Bella walked over to where he was sitting and put her arms around his neck and looked at the screen.

"I hope you've booked return tickets" she said.

"Yes I have Bella, let's hope we need them."

He pulled her down onto his lap and kissed her passionately, exploring her open mouth with his tongue then raining kisses all over her face which was still damp with her tears. His hands flew across her body as though he was trying to memorise every dip and curve and as he kissed her his movements became more desperate.

"I love you so much Bella" he said as he stood up still holding her in his arms and carried her towards the bedroom where he laid her gently down on the bed. Tonight he was going to show her how much she meant to him; he was going to cherish her and love her so passionately that she would hopefully forget about what lay ahead tomorrow. He carefully removed her clothing piece by piece as she lay there silently looking up at him, only moving her limbs to help him strip her, and when she was naked he ran his hands over her silky skin, gently touching every inch of her body with his long fingers.

Their eyes locked together as he sensually removed his clothes in front of her and when he was naked he knelt between her legs and slowly massaged her thighs as he pulled them apart. "Are you ready" he asked and Bella nodded. His striptease was all the foreplay she needed and she reached her arms up so that she could hold him when he entered her. He leaned forward and put his arms either side of her head so that they were face to face and their eyes locked again as he gently pushed into her and then their mouths met in a desperate kiss.

Bella clung to him with her arms around his back and her legs wrapped around his hips. She never wanted to let him go, she was safe with him, he was her protector and she loved him so much it felt like a knife twisting in her stomach. If this night was all they had left together, then she was content in the knowledge that she had loved and been loved by the man who was put on the earth for her. She felt blessed that she had experienced this joy, even though she could count on the fingers of both hands the times they had been intimate, but she wouldn't have swopped a minute of their short time together for a lifetime without him.

He was moving more powerfully inside her now and every movement he made had meaning for both of them. She was wrapped around him tightly and he knew she was scared, but that made him feel more determined to fight for their right to live. He had found true happiness in his life and he wasn't prepared to let it go; he wanted to spend an eternity with Bella, making love to her day after day after day.

His thrusts increased in intensity and he moaned as he felt Bella's body responding. She loosened her grip around his back and buried her fingers in his hair, grabbing handfuls as he pounded into her. She was crying and moaning in ecstasy, whispering words of love and encouragement and he soon felt the beginnings of her orgasm building inside of her. His body was aflame and he was close to his own release so he focused his eyes on her face as he wanted to witness her come, preserve the image in his mind and take it into eternity with him, if that was what was waiting for him.

Bella fell apart in his arms and a look of pure bliss covered her face and he was undone. He drove himself into her one final time and a wave of ecstasy crashed over him as he poured himself into her. Her shuddering body milked every drop of sperm from his loins and he collapsed onto her, exhausted with the intensity of his emotions.

He didn't know if he passed out for a few seconds but he came to, feeling her running her fingers through his hair that was damp with sweat and he lay there relishing the tenderness of her touch. His mother used to do the same to him when he was a child and it was the one action that had the power to soothe him when he was stressed. Bella's fingers were like magic and he felt his body unwind and relax. He lay there in paradise until he realised that Bella was sobbing quietly and he immediately pulled her into his arms.

"Don't cry Bella, we'll get through this" he said and kissed her on her forehead as she clung to him shaking with fear.

"I'm frightened Edward, I don't want to lose you, I want to be with you forever."

"We will be together Bella, I promise."

Edward held her tightly as she sobbed then he brushed her hair out of her eyes and wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"Bella Swan, if we walk away from this, will you marry me?"

Bella's eyes widened then more tears started to fall. "Yes Edward Masen, I would be honoured to marry you" she said between sobs and then she laid her head on his chest and listened to his heart beating steadily.

Edward stroked her hair as they lay there. This time tomorrow or maybe in a few days they could both be dead at the hands of the Volturi but he was strangely at ease with the situation. They could only have this night left on earth or they could have twenty thousand more ahead of them, he couldn't tell, but he had experienced true love in his life with Bella and he was content.

* * *

An early-morning cab took them to the airport and they sat in silence holding hands as a million thoughts tumbled through their minds. Bella had pushed a note under Mr. Banner's door saying that she was going away for a few days and wasn't sure when she would be back. She had cried when she said goodbye to a bewildered Molly and Edward had to drag her out of the apartment when he heard the cab pulling up outside.

Their flight was on time and would get them into Connecticut at five-thirty in the evening, local time. It was a seven hour flight and the East Coast was three hours ahead of them and as they were only taking a backpack each on board, they hoped to be through the airport and be on their way to the lab by six o'clock at the latest.

Edward had been tempted to contact his father but decided against it. How could he tell his father that his and Bella's lives were in danger, so he had made up his mind that if the Volturi found out and issued a death sentence, then he would beg them to find his father and kill him quickly and painlessly. He had tried not to think about how they would be killed, but hoped it would be instant and neither he nor Bella would suffer a slow death having their life-blood drawn out of them.

During the long flight Bella clung to him, holding his hand or clutching his arm. Occasionally he would see a tear falling from her eye and he was at a loss what to say to her. Neither of them could eat what was offered and Edward didn't dare to drink anything alcoholic, he needed his wits about him.

The plane landed on time and they quickly made their way out of the airport. It was a cool evening for the time of year and Bella shivered as they stood in line waiting for a cab. Edward gave the driver the address of the laboratory and they set off for the short drive to whatever was waiting for them.

The car pulled up outside the main gate and after Edward paid the driver, they walked towards the barrier that was normally manned by one of the security guards, but no-one came out to greet them. "That's odd," Edward said and looked inside the hut where they usually sat. On the floor he could see the guard slumped in the corner; he looked asleep but he was actually unconscious. "I think Alice and Jasper have beaten us here" Edward said.

As they walked towards the building Edward was relieved to see his uncle's Porsche parked in its usual place and as they approached the door they spotted Alice and Jasper walking towards them. Alice flung her arms around Bella and hugged her. "Are you okay" she asked. Bella shook her head and mouthed "No" so Alice linked her arms in hers and said "I'll look after you when Edward is talking to his uncle. I can't see the Volturi anywhere near us at the moment, so hopefully this can end tonight." Bella looked slightly more cheerful but was still very tense.

Edward swiped his identification card through the security panel; the door clicked open and they walked into the deserted reception area. The labs either side of the main corridor were also deserted so they headed unchallenged in the direction of his uncle's laboratory. As they approached they could see artificial light peeping under the door and through the blinds so it was obvious he was in there; Edward knocked on the glass and shouted "Uncle, it's Edward, can you open the door please."

They heard voices and movement in the room, then the scrape of a chair on the floor and finally they heard the key in the lock turn.

Edward looked at Bella, "he's not alone" he whispered in surprise. His mind worked quickly as having someone else involved may be an added complication but then he realised in horror that the Volturi might have got there first. He pulled Bella into his arms and watched the door handle start to move.

The door opened slowly and for a second he couldn't make out who was there, then Edward cried in despair as he saw the one face he was dreading seeing this evening.

It was the sad, sallow face of his father.


	26. CSI Seattle 26

**_CHAPTER TWENTY SIX_**

"Dad!" Edward cried as he fell into his arms and embraced him. Bella's own fears suddenly weren't important as she was more concerned about the pain in the face of the man she loved as he clung onto his father. She wanted to comfort him but she stood back and watched father and son hold each other, both needing reassurance and support and both being unable to provide any such thing. Edward was sobbing and his father was trying to placate him but there was nothing he could do or say to calm him.

Whatever welcome Edward was expecting it wasn't this one. He had envisaged having to break the lab door down then face a loaded gun, but unexpectedly seeing his father's face for the first time since he found out he was dying was a terrible shock to him. His father had aged ten years since he last saw him, his cheeks were hollow and his face was a sickly shade, not tanned or yellow but an unnatural hue that enhanced the shadows on his face that had not been there before. Edward knew just by looking at him that his father was desperately sick and was nearer to death than he had led him to believe.

Carlisle eventually composed himself and said "Edward!" as cheerfully as possible, "I wasn't expecting you tonight and you've brought some friends, bring them in." Carlisle stood back so they could all enter the room.

Anthony was sitting on his stool leaning on the bench looking exhausted. He watched the emotional scene unfolding in front of him with genuine sympathy, but his eyes widened when Bella, Alice and Jasper followed Edward into the lab. He stood up from his stool and walked towards the drawer where he kept his gun and stood in front of it as his first thought was that Edward had brought some scientists with him to either steal or destroy his research.

"Who are these people?" he snapped, waving his hands at the three intruders.

Edward stopped himself from answering back with a curt reply but instead introduced Bella first to his father, who hugged and kissed her, then he introduced Alice and Jasper. Jasper reached out his hand to Carlisle, who took it and held it for a few seconds, then Carlisle's eyebrows went up in astonishment and a small smile crept over his face. He shook Alice's hand afterwards and said "I'm delighted to meet both of you, I'm sure we're going to have a very interesting evening."

"What do you want Edward?" Anthony said, now very suspicious.

"First things first uncle, I want to know why my father is here" Edward replied assertively. He wasn't in the mood to take anymore shit from his uncle and he was letting him know he was in the driving seat as far as this conversation was going. "You and I need to talk as my friends and I have information about the arm which you may find interesting, but my father doesn't need to know and I don't want him involved unless it's absolutely necessary."

"You'd better talk to him now then Edward, but you're not going to like what he has to say" Anthony replied grudgingly, but his eyes were fixed on Jasper and Alice who were protectively standing either side of Bella and he was curious to find out who Edward's strange looking 'friends' were.

Carlisle took Edward by the arm and led him over to the doors leading out to the lake. Bella, Alice and Jasper stayed where they were to allow them privacy as all of them could see that Carlisle was in pain and under a lot of strain. He took Edward's hands in his and looked at his son directly in the eyes.

"Edward, I came here tonight to say goodbye to my brother. Last night the pain was intolerable and the morphine hardly touched it. I'm now on a very strong dose just to keep myself upright and I'm not prepared to live like this any longer. You told me you were coming home early next week and after your visit I fully intended to end my life. Now that you're here, I won't have to wait that long."

"No!" Edward shouted, and put his hands over his face to hide more tears that were rolling down his cheeks. "You can't do that Dad, I need you. I need you now more than ever in my whole life. Please please don't do it" he begged.

"Edward, the pain is intense and I can't see the point in staying alive any longer. I won't be independent for much longer and I don't want to be a burden to anybody. I'm going to visit your mother tomorrow for the last time then that will be it for me. Tonight I want you and Anthony to sort out your differences so I can die happier."

Edward shook his head. "I don't think that's going to be possible Dad; can you just stay here then while I tell Anthony what we know and then we can talk about the future?"

"Yes, I'll stay for that and also I want to talk to Bella. I'll be leaving you in her care so I want to know if her intentions are honourable!" He smiled as he gripped Edward's hands again. "I don't want you to see me suffer Edward, you must understand why I'm doing this."

Edward reluctantly nodded his head. His world had fallen apart in the space of forty-eight hours and he couldn't imagine how it was going to get any worse, unless of course the Volturi showed up and killed them all.

He wiped his face with his sleeves and walked over to Bella's side. Their eyes met and an understanding passed between them and Bella knew that he wasn't going to hold back with what he was going to say - he was going to go straight to the point and tell his uncle the truth. This wasn't the time for playing games, their lives were in danger.

Edward drew a deep breath and turned to face Anthony and his father. "Dad, Uncle, the arm Bella found belonged to a friend of Alice and Jasper. The man was called Peter and he was the serial killer who murdered eleven innocent people in Seattle. He was also a three hundred year old Vampire."

There was a sharp intake of breath as Edward's frankness shocked everyone, even the ones in the know.

"Don't give me a load of crap Edward, as if I'm going to believe that nonsense" Anthony said and put his hand on the handle of the drawer.

"I'm not expecting you to believe anything I say uncle as you refuse to listen to reason, plus you lied to my father about not carrying on with your research, but if you don't stop your experiments now everyone in this room could be dead within days."

Carlisle was shocked at these revelations - firstly he had trusted his brother when he said he would stop his investigations and he truly believed he had done so, but if what Edward was saying was true Anthony had lied to him. More importantly though he couldn't begin to imagine why Edward was saying that they were all in danger.

Anthony's eyes widened then he scoffed. "This is total bullshit you're giving me Edward. Vampires don't exist apart from in Hollywood films and nineteenth century books. You'll be telling me that Batman and Spiderman are real people next." He laughed scornfully and slowly opened the drawer behind his back.

Alice spoke up. "Edward is speaking the truth Professor Masen. Jasper and I are Vampires. Our bodies have the same make-up as Peter's. Jasper is only slightly younger than Peter was and my memory goes back to the end of the nineteenth century. Even though Peter was our friend, we had to kill him because he was feeding from humans indiscriminately which is against Vampire law. We left his arm in the forest by mistake instead of burning it. Professor Masen, you will discover how to extend human life but all you'll be doing is turning humans into Vampires and for doing that you will incur the wrath of others of our kind. They will kill you and everyone associated with you."

"Alice is telling the truth" Jasper said. "Others may already be on their way here, so the sooner you can destroy your research the better. You must believe us."

Anthony's mind was computing what he had just been told. It was obvious just by looking at Alice and Jasper that they were different from normal humans. Their eyes were a strange colour and their skin had an iridescent sheen to it, but he was still not convinced. This was just a ruse to stop him making the find of the millennium and not only that he wanted, no he needed the treatment for himself. Nothing or no-one was going to stop him now.

"Go ahead then" he said and waved at the piles of papers on his bench. "Burn my research and my findings but you can't destroy what's up here." He pointed to his head and glared at Alice and Jasper in defiance. "You'll have to kill me to stop me." As he was speaking he pulled the drawer open and grabbed hold of his gun then pointed it at Jasper who had started walking towards him. He fired it and the bullet hit Jasper square in the chest which knocked him backwards so that he fell against the wall, but he pulled himself upright and without fear walked towards the muzzle of the gun. Anthony fired again and again but Jasper hardly flinched each time he was hit.

Jasper was getting fed up with being shot at because the bullet holes were ruining his jacket, so he leapt across the bench that was between them and in a flash was standing behind Anthony. He pulled the gun from his hand and with his iron grip crushed it to a powder. Anthony gasped in surprise and backed away from him. It was patently clear now that Jasper was super-human; whether he was a Vampire or not didn't matter, he obviously did have the same make-up as the tissue he had been examining so his body was probably indestructible.

"So it works" he thought enviously, mentally rubbing his hands with glee and imagining himself with such a body.

"You're not going to stop are you?" Edward yelled at his uncle, breaking his daydream of immortality.

"No! You'll have to kill me first" he cried and laughed out loud at the shocked faces staring at him.

With that Jasper put his hands on his neck and snapped it in one quick movement and Anthony collapsed onto the floor. He was dead within seconds.

Bella screamed, Edward groaned and Carlisle put his head in his hands.

* * *

Carlisle stared in shocked silence at the lifeless body of his brother on the floor. He didn't care about the Volturi, or Vampires or any other supernatural beings at that moment; his brother was dead and memories of their happy childhood and joyful adolescence came flooding back to him, then more memories of the years when they had studied and worked brilliantly together as ground-breaking scientists tumbled through his mind. It was almost like his own life was flashing in front of him.

Carlisle ruefully accepted in that moment that his brother had brought this on himself; he wasn't going to blame Jasper for his actions as Anthony had to be stopped before he brought chaos to the world and danger to his family. His brother thought he had found the scientific equivalent of the Holy Grail and his discovery would bring him eternal life, but all it had brought him was an early death. He had watched the madness growing in his brother's eyes and when he finally challenged Edward to stop him continuing his experiments, it had totally consumed him and now he had paid the ultimate price for wanting to cheat death.

But what of Alice and Jasper who were standing in front of him? Their bodies defied every scientific fact he had ever been taught; their very existence defied nature. He desperately wanted to learn more about them but his time was running out so he would have to hand that responsibility over to his son.

"I'm very sorry Carlisle" Jasper said, cutting into his thoughts, "but you've no idea the danger we're all in, even now. If Anthony had carried on with his research and discovered our secrets, the implications for the world were terrifying if our existence had become common knowledge. That isn't going to happen now but the real danger for Edward, Bella and yourself, and even for Alice and me, is if our rulers find out that this research has been taking place or that you know of the existence of Vampires. We could still all die.

Carlisle turned to Jasper and held out his hand. "I forgive you Jasper, you only did what was right. My brother was mad; mad because he was in pain and mad because he didn't want to grow old and die. The temptation to cheat death was too great and he lost his reason. Now you say his madness may have put my son and Bella's lives in danger."

"It wasn't Anthony's fault completely Carlisle; neither he nor Edward should have had the arm in the first place and that is down to Alice and myself, but you're are good man not to blame me" Jasper said. "Your son is a good man too, I've met very few humans who I could get along with but Edward is an exceptional person, you should be very proud of him."

"I am Jasper, I certainly am."

They all set to and cleaned up Anthony's office, shredding his notebooks, wiping his computer files and destroying absolutely everything relating to the samples. When they had finished they placed Anthony's body half in half out of the external door so it looked like he had tripped over the step and broken his neck. His colleagues knew how unsteady he was on his feet and that he refused to use a stick, so a fall would be a plausible cause of death, they hoped.

* * *

They all decided to stay at the beach house for the night but also they wanted to make absolutely sure that Anthony hadn't left any notes or other evidence there, even though they were certain he hadn't left the lab since Edward brought him the samples. Edward insisted on driving Carlisle's car as he was amazed and a bit angry that his father had been irresponsible enough to drive to the lab from his home, considering how much morphine he was on. He offered Alice and Jasper a ride, but they said they preferred to run and Carlisle watched in astonishment as they disappeared from view in a flash.

Within half an hour they had arrived at the house on the beach. The moon was in a different position now from the night when Edward had mulled over whether to break his engagement with Annabel. That night seemed like a lifetime ago to him now, but at least he knew in his heart that he had made the right decision. He was in love with Bella and if the Volturi were in the dark and they survived, then he would fulfill his spur of the moment promise and marry her as soon as possible.

He ran around to the passenger side and helped his father out of the car, then they stood together for a moment taking deep breaths of the salty air while gazing at the glittering sea and the white moonlight shimmering on the surface of the water. Bella carried their backpacks to the house while Carlisle leaned on his son as they made their way up the wooden steps to the deck. They heard a shout and saw Jasper and Alice strolling barefoot along the beach towards them and they waved back. Within seconds they were all on the deck laughing with relief that the night's work was done, even though Anthony had paid the price and was lying alone and dead in his laboratory and all of them were genuinely mourning his loss.

Edward turned the key in the lock and they spilled into the house, kicked their sandy shoes off in the hallway and walked into the living room, but others had beaten them to it. As one they all gasped in shock when they saw who was waiting for them and even though Edward, Bella and Carlisle had never met these people before, no introductions were necessary.

Sitting in deep armchairs were two ageless Vampires wearing strange, ornate clothing; their white faces cold and expressionless. Both the humans and vampires could sense the contempt radiating from these two individuals and this struck fear in both the beating and non-beating hearts of everyone who was held by their searching gaze.

Standing by the fireplace staring up at a beautiful landscape painting above the hearth was an exceedingly tall and elegant Vampire. He turned towards them with a feigned smile of greeting on his face and his red piercing eyes flashed from Bella, to Edward, to Carlisle then back to Bella, after which he licked his lips and swallowed before speaking.

"Well, well, well Mr. and Mrs. Whitlock. I see you've made some new friends. Would you be so kind as to introduce us?"

Alice and Jasper stood rooted to the spot then after a few moments Jasper composed himself and said

"Carlisle, Edward and Bella, I would like you to meet Aro, Head of the Volturi."

Edward sighed as Bella thew herself into his arms. He looked into the ashen face of the tall Vampire in front of him and saw his death reflected back at him from Aro's bloody eyes.


	27. CSI Seattle 27

**CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN**

Aro walked slowly towards the group and looked at each one of them in turn. "Hmmm, humans I see, you should pick your friends more carefully Jasper. I blame it on your diet, you're getting to fond of our enemies."

Edward went to say something but Jasper looked at him sternly and he kept his mouth shut.

"So, Alice and Jasper, I understand that you made a little blunder when you disposed of your dear dead friend Peter. Remind me not to get on the wrong side of you Jasper if that is how you treat your friends, I would hate to see how you deal with your enemies." Aro laughed at his own joke and then his face looked serious again as he turned towards the humans and advanced further towards them.

"So you're the scientist who thinks he knows how to turn a human into an immortal?" He stopped directly in front of Edward but looked at Bella and licked his lips again.

Edward spoke up this time. "We are all scientists Aro, but the person you're talking about is dead. He was my uncle and we couldn't convince him to stop his experiments so Jasper killed him about two hours ago."

Aro turned to face Jasper again. "Another death Jasper? Well well, you are becoming very well acquainted with death for someone who abhors feeding from humans" Aro resonded faecitiously.

"My uncle's body is at his lab if you don't believe us" Edward said accusingly.

"Oh my brothers and I saw the Professor's body a very short time ago, then we followed his scent here as we presumed you would come to his home eventually, so I don't need to believe you, Edward is it?

"Yes, I am Edward and this is my father Carlisle and my girlfriend Bella."

"Lovers, eh?"

"Yes, we are lovers. What is it to you?"

"Nothing Edward. Just wanting to know a bit more about Jasper and Alice's friends."

Aro walked around the room, occasionally glancing at the group like a tiger circling its prey. He was an elegant man with sharp features that looked more pronounced because of his icy-white skin. Behind him his two companions sat in absolute silence watching every move as the drama was played out in front of them.

"So Jasper, you killed your oldest friend for doing what comes naturally to 'Vampires' like us."

Aro stressed the word 'Vampires' to make absolutely certain that the three humans knew what they were. Carlisle, Edward and Bella didn't flinch.

"I had no objections to Peter being a true Vampire as I was once" Jasper responded, "but he was breaking the Vampire law Aro; your law. He was indiscriminate with his feeding and he didn't conceal the bodies of his victims. I was only upholding your law when I killed him."

"Very creditable of you Jasper, a pity you didn't finish the job properly."

"That is my fault Aro" Alice said. "I pulled Peter's arms off when we fought and when Jasper set light to him he was distraught and I comforted him. I only put one arm on the fire."

"Hmm. Well that was very remiss of you, but I can appreciate you were probably stressed at the time."

Aro looked over to where Caius and Marcus were sitting and raised an eyebrow. The jury had already been out and considered their verdict, he was just going through the motions before sentence was announced and carried out.

"So" he said, "Professor Masen had been experimenting on Peter's arm, how interesting. Then he involved his family and a friend," Aro nodded at Bella, "and through their persistence they discovered that we are not a species invented by Bram Stoker to sell books, but we actually do exist which is against our law Jasper and Alice, if I need to remind you."

He stared directly into their eyes and Alice recoiled seeing her death reflected in them.

"That's not how it happened Aro" Jasper said with venom. "Yes, Alice and I made an error for which we are sorry, but without Bella and Edward's discretion, Police or Government scientists would have been in possession of Peter's arm by now and our existence would have been discovered."

"What do you mean Jasper, explain?"

Jasper knew full well that what he said next would decide whether they lived or died, so he had to contain his anger over the injustice of their situation and try not to antagonize Aro further. Aro was obviously not in possession of the full facts and he knew this was their only chance of survival.

"Aro, it was Bella who took possession of Peter's arm first of all after it was found in the forest. She didn't tell anyone in authority that is was obviously not human; she kept that knowledge to herself because she is professionally inquisitive and she wanted to find out more about it herself before she reported what she found. Bella is a scientist first and foremost and a forensic detective second - this was a challenge like no other she had met before. Edward became involved purely by chance and helped her investigations by carrying out forensic tests on the tissue and he didn't broadcast to the world anything about the arm either; he only involved his uncle who was a more experienced scientist than him so they could discover more about what they had in front of them.

Aro, you must believe that neither Bella nor Edward had any intention of synthesizing the tissue; they were curious about the arm as any good scientists would be. As soon as they found out about Edward's uncle's intentions they did everything they could to stop him."

Alice could see that Aro was listening intently to what Jasper was saying and added her own voice. "Edward and Bella are scientists Aro; well trained hard working scientists and you respect scientists don't you? You'll be punishing these good people for simply being curious and for doing only what comes naturally to anybody with a scientific mind. They won't divulge our secret, they are our friends - give them a chance."

Aro rubbed his chin and thought about what Jasper had just said. He had already decided the humans had to die but Jasper was right, science fascinated him and he had watched with wonder how the inferior human race had developed over the past two millennia, due mainly to scientists and engineers who were blessed with inquisitive minds. He recalled his meetings with Leonardo in the fifteenth century; as well as being a sculptor and painter he was an architect, engineer, mathematician and inventor who had designed flying machines hundreds of years before they were invented. Leonardo knew that he was a Vampire but he had allowed him to live – it would have been a crime to humanity and the world if he'd have killed him but no, he couldn't make an exception again, it was too dangerous for his kind.

"I'm sorry Jasper, but these humans know of our existence and we cannot allow them to live with that knowledge. You know our laws; that is how we keep our existence a secret."

Bella shrieked and clung onto Edward, burying her face in his chest. Edward looked at Aro with hatred in his eyes.

"You call yourself civilized and you believe that you're race is superior to humans, I don't think so" Edward hissed, not caring now whether he antagonised him or not. "We're not your enemies Aro; we've done nothing to hurt you or expose your kind, in fact we've done everything we could to protect your secret. Bella and I won't talk, we've both had plenty of opportunities to go public with our discoveries but we haven't. Isn't that enough evidence to convince you that we're trustworthy, that we can keep a secret? You may have advantages over the human population but I've seen nothing in you that convinces me that your self-proclaimed superiority is anything more than physical strength. Prove to me now Aro why your kind is a superior race rather than just behaving like a gang of common bullies in a schoolyard?"

Aro advanced towards Edward and he backed away from him expecting him to strike.

"Give me your hand Edward Masen, I have ways of seeing whether I can trust you."

Jasper nodded to Edward that he should do this and Edward slowly passed his hand over to Aro who clutched it with one hand and stroked it with the other. He closed his eyes and stood absolutely still as he read Edward's mind, glossing over the feelings of pure loathing Edward felt towards him but sensing the love he felt for the girl who was clinging to his body sobbing. After less than a minute he dropped Edward's hand and held out his hand to take Bella's. She slowly raised it for him without looking at his face directly and Aro held her shaking hand while he trawled her memories for anything that could justify what he planned to do to her.

He went to grasp Carlisle's hand but he withdrew it. "I'm dying anyway Aro; if you killed me now you would be doing me a favour, but I am asking you to spare my son and Bella as they have done nothing to deserve your version of justice. They have devoted their lives to science and to doing good. They live by the laws of the vast majority of beings who live on this planet, but the rule of law can be bent in the right circumstances and I'm sure it has been in the past, for humans and non-humans." Carlisle took a step forward and looked Aro squarely in the face and with no fear. "Can you look me in the eye Aro, man to man, and tell me honestly that you have never ignored your laws at some time in your existence?"

Aro visibly flinched when Carlisle's eyes locked with his. He wasn't used to being challenged and these Masen men were a force to be reckoned with, however he didn't respond to the invitation to answer Carlisle's question but turned away and walked towards Caius and Marcus saying "I need to discuss this with my brothers."

Carlisle turned to Edward and Bella and gathered them in his arms. "Hold tight children" he said. "If we're going to die now, then we go together."

Jasper clung to Alice and they whispered words of love to each other as they waited for Aro's verdict. They knew their lives were in the balance but at least they had spent a hundred years together. Edward and Bella had barely had two weeks.

Aro coughed and they all looked around. Caius and Marcus had stood up and both groups expected the worst.

"We have come to a decision. Jasper, we accept that you acted in the interests of our kind when you killed your oldest friend and we understand the stress you would have been under at the time. It was a mistake that should not carry a death sentence so you and Alice will be free to leave. If the arm had fallen into the hands of government scientists, we may have not been so lenient."

Alice let out a cry and clung to Jasper who was looking across at Edward's face. He could see fear in Edward's eyes, but also a steely resolve to protect Bella to the end. Even though it was futile, he was ready to fight to protect her and his father.

Aro looked at the humans that were huddled together in a group. He could see the girl was terrified and even though he had fed before he left Italy, her smell was intoxicating. He was tempted but he had made his decision.

"Carlisle, you are also free to leave. I understand you are terminally ill and I trust you not to disclose our secret."

"I'm not leaving without my son; if you kill him you can kill me as well."

"So be it" he said, "but listen to what I am offering first."

Edward and Bella turned to face him. They were expecting instant death but Aro was going to offer them something. They clung to each other as Aro made his pronouncement.

"Edward and Bella, my brother's and I appreciate that you have kept our secret and when I held your hands, I learned that you were humans who could be trusted. I have met very few trustworthy humans in my long existence and it is only for this reason I am giving you a choice."

Edward loosened his grip on Bella's body as the realisation hit him that there was a chance they weren't going to die. "What are the choices Aro?"

"Edward and Bella, we must uphold our law that no human should know of our existence therefore we will spare you tonight on the understanding that you will join us. You must agree to become Vampires immediately."

Bella screamed and went limp in Edward's arms.

"What is the other choice?" Edward asked, but he knew before Aro said the words.

"You will choose to die, here and now."

* * *

Aro, Caius and Marcus withdrew to another room while Edward and Bella made their decision. Carlisle and Edward had sat down on the sofa while Bella was sobbing uncontrollably on his lap. Edward was overwhelmed with what had been offered; never in his wildest imaginations had he considered that this would be a condition of their silence. He would be giving up his humanity, his life would never be the same, Bella would never be able to have children so he could never be a father. A hundred and one different reasons why he didn't want to be a Vampire flashed through his brain and it was too much to compute in the short time they had been given to decide.

To live as a Vampire or to die now, that was the choice. He didn't want to die, he had only just started to live. He loved Bella and he knew she loved him but was she prepared to sign up to eternity with him? He glanced over to where Jasper and Alice were embracing each other and saw that they had a good relationship; they managed to live in the human world, with care, so why shouldn't he and Bella be able to do it too.

Carlisle was watching him carefully. He wasn't going to offer his advice unless Edward asked but he hoped his son would choose to live. Edward was young, not yet twenty-nine, and he had just found the love of his life. Jasper and Alice seemed like a fine couple and they managed to exist among humans by all accounts, so why shouldn't Edward and Bella?

"Dad, what are you thinking, what should I do?" Edward asked. He needed his father's advice now more than at any time in his life.

"Go for it son, live your life with Bella, just think of the possibilities. You can't give up now, you're too young. Anyway, you're a scientist – don't tell me you're not curious?"

"I am curious Dad but it's unnatural. I don't want to be a monster and I don't want Bella to be one either."

"Would you consider Jasper and Alice to be monsters Edward? They can pass as a regular couple, okay a bit strange looking, but I see stranger people walking down the street every day."

Edward quietly chuckled which was a strange thing to do in the circumstances. He looked at Bella who was still nestling in his arms and was just starting to bring her sobbing under control. She was in shock, her limbs were shaking and her skin was clammy to touch. Carlisle got up to get her a drink of water and cried out in pain at the sudden movement. Jasper rushed to his aid while Alice got the water.

"Are you alright Carlisle, do you need some medication?" Jasper asked, concerned with how contorted his face was.

"I'll be fine, don't worry about me Jasper, thank you."

"You know if Edward and Bella made the change, we could change you too and you would live."

Edward grabbed hold of Jasper's arm. "Is that true, could you save my father?"

"Probably, I've never changed anyone who has been so ill, but when we created new Vampires in the past, we found that if any of them had ailments beforehand they would be healed."

Edward was ecstatic. He now had a reason to choose to be a Vampire other than not dying of course, but it was up to his father to decide.

Bella had stopped crying and had listened to the conversation. "I don't want to die Edward, and I'm not frightened now of becoming a Vampire. I know Alice will help me through it so that is my choice. Carlisle, it would make Edward's choice easier if you did it too. Please do as I know he is not ready to lose you."

Carlisle shook his head ruefully. "Bella, Edward, much as I appreciate what you're saying, I cannot live an eternity without my wife. The last twenty years have been hell watching her deteriorate and my only wish was to be with her during the last days of her life. Her brain is gone and her body will follow soon and when that happens I want to be waiting for her on the other side. I'm sorry but if you choose life, which I hope you do, you will have to do it without me."

Edward hung his head defeated. He wasn't going to argue with his father as he could understand his reasoning, but their parting was going to be agonizing and his heart was already breaking.

They heard movement and looked up to see Aro, Caius and Marcus standing over them expectantly. "Have you made your decision" Aro said and Edward moved Bella to sit next to Carlisle, then stood up and looked at him squarely in the eye.

"I'm not frightened of dying Aro, but I have chosen to live as a Vampire, with Bella, for Bella as we have a love that's worth living for. If you trust us as you have said, then you will grant us a few weeks grace before we become Vampires. Bella has a family and also a responsible job and if she suddenly disappeared off the face of the earth questions would be asked. I'm asking you for some time to settle our affairs before we are changed. Will you grant us that?"

Aro was surprised at Edward's vehemence; he was an exceptional human being to have the courage to stand up to him and he would more than likely make an even more exceptional Vampire.

"Agreed Edward. I will leave you and Bella in the capable hands of Jasper and Alice who will facilitate your change. Jasper has a wealth of experience to fall back on so do not have any concerns on that score. I will give you three weeks grace and I expect to hear that you have changed by then. If not, then Alice and Jasper's lives will be forfeit as well as yours."

"That won't be necessary" Jasper said. "I will ensure they are changed discreetly and safely."

"We will leave you then" Aro said. "This is not the outcome I expected tonight and I wish you well."

He turned and stood in front of Carlisle then bowed to him graciously. "Good fortune on your journey Carlisle, you have raised an outstanding son."

"I know" he said. "Thank you."

Aro straightened up and beckoned to Caius and Marcus to follow him and within a few seconds they had gone from the room and their lives, in a flash.

Everyone left in the room sat in stunned silence knowing how close they had come to oblivion, but they had survived and now three of them would be preparing for a journey, one to spend eternity in whatever after-life was waiting for him and two to get ready to spend eternity on earth.

Carlisle stood up carefully from the sofa. "Well that's enough excitement for one night" he said cheerfully. "I'm off to bed!"


	28. CSI Seattle 28

**CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT**

They spent the rest of the evening sitting on the deck, listening to the waves rushing over the stones on the beach. The moon had disappeared behind the house and was low in the sky so the stars were shining brightly above their heads. Carlisle had retired to bed so it was just two Vampires and two prospective Vampires who were debating the evening's events and talking about the future.

"It's not too difficult blending in" Alice said reassuringly. "The worst thing is the shimmery skin but you have to be standing directly in a sunbeam for it to be noticeable. You learn to avoid the sunshine, unless you're completely on your own when you make the most of it."

"Shaking hands is easy too" Jasper added. "We just keep hiker's warm-packs in our pockets and grip them for a few seconds before we shake hands – works every time."

"I'm going to miss eating" Bella said sadly, "especially Ice Cream and Pizza, oh God and coffee, how am I going to survive without coffee?"

Edward laughed and kissed her on her head. Considering the trauma they had just been through Bella had perked up really quickly once she realised she wasn't going to die. Alice had taken her to one side and reassured her, saying things like "just think no Aunt Flo anymore" or "the sex is great" to which Bella replied "the sex already is great." Edward had chuckled about that.

His only concern now was his father. Before he went to bed Carlisle had promised Edward that he wouldn't commit suicide just yet but would seek a doctor who specialised in palliative care to see whether he could improve his drug regime. Carlisle wanted to see Edward and Bella after their transformation and agreed to wait to end it until he was satisfied that they were well and coping with their new way of life. Edward had come to terms with his father's prognosis, but was still dreading the day when they parted for ever.

They were prepared for the following morning when they would receive the call to say that Anthony had been found dead in the lab and they all had their stories ready. Their visit would have been recorded on the lab's CCTV so there would be no point in trying to deny that they had visited him yesterday evening. Explaining the guard with the sore head might be more difficult though.

Alice agreed to go back to Seattle with Bella while Carlisle and Edward arranged Anthony's funeral. Jasper said he wanted to visit the New York coven while he was on the East coast, so he would be disappearing in the morning, no plane ticket required.

At three in the morning which was midnight Seattle time, Edward and Bella went to bed, leaving Jasper and Alice out on the deck. They cleaned themselves up then fell into bed naked because neither of them had the presence of mind to pack anything to sleep in.

"Do you remember what I asked you Bella Swan, if we survived the night?"

"You asked me to marry you Edward Masen."

"Do you still want to marry me Miss Swan, even though we're going to live forever?"

"More than ever Mr. Masen, forever will still not be long enough for me."

"I love you so much Bella, I feel as though I've loved you for a thousand years."

"I feel the same Edward and I'm ready to love you for a thousand more."

Their lips met, then their tongues entwined then their bodies were joined together in love and a fair bit of lust.

How sex could get any better than that, well they really couldn't imagine.

* * *

Anthony's body was discovered as expected and early the following morning Edward and Carlisle went to the lab to identify him and to give statements to the police. After several days, Anthony's body was released to the family as the post mortem concluded that he had broken his neck while trying to negotiate the steps out to the lake.

Unknown to the family, Anthony had been taking massive amounts of codeine-based pain killers and anti-inflammatory drugs and the coroner's report attributed the fall to his addiction plus his disabling swollen joints. The case was closed, much to the relief of the family.

The funeral took place in the local crematorium with a humanist minister, quick and efficient, but his death was marked by large amounts of column inches in all the quality newspapers and scientific journals as befitted a Nobel Prize Winner. Anthony had willed all his assets to Edward in the hope that he would keep the lab intact and carry on with his research projects, which Edward agreed to do once he had set up a management structure so that he could initially control the business from Seattle.

* * *

Bella and Alice returned to Seattle leaving their men behind on the East coast and Alice stayed at Bella's apartment until Edward returned after the funeral about a week later. Contrary to popular myth Molly didn't hiss and spit when she met Alice for the first time but she wasn't too happy sitting on her lap, possibly because she wasn't as warm or as soft as Bella.

Bella had been put on indefinite sick leave from work. She had requested an interview with Victoria when she got back and asked God for forgiveness before she went in to see her, as she was blaming post traumatic stress from losing Jacob so tragically for her fragile state of mind. Throwing herself into work too soon had put off her inevitable breakdown she explained and now she felt she couldn't cope and would not be able to do her job properly. Victoria gave her as much time off as she needed with her blessing.

The serial killer case remained open but it was widely assumed that the murderer had moved away to another city as it was over a month since the hiker had died. Seth had sent Bella a text to wish her a speedy recovery and to call him when she felt ready to date again. Bella sent him a sweet message back saying she was flattered by his offer, but she had made a conscious decision never to start a relationship with anyone in the police service again.

One evening after they had been packing Bella's belongings into boxes, Alice told Bella how she became a Vampire. She had already told Bella that she had been changed at the turn of the century by a nomad when she was a patient in a mental hospital, but hadn't told her the whole story about how she came to be there in the first place.

Alice told Bella that as young teenager, just after puberty, she started having visions of the future and eventually she confided with her family and told them what she was experiencing. As her parents were deeply religious they sought help from the elders of their Church as they thought Alice's visions were unnatural and a curse, not a gift. Alice's accuracy in predicting events frightened the clergymen and they had her committed to a mental assylum when she was sixteen to drive away the evil spirits that they believed were controlling her mind. After three years of experimental drug treatment by incompetent doctors, her mind was almost destroyed and she had to be kept in a locked ward as the hallucinations she was having were making her violent.

"I can remember the night he came" Alice said as they were curled up together on the sofa. Molly was wedged in between them purring contentedly and Bella was sipping a large glass of wine, making the most of her last few days of being able to eat and drink.

"Can you remember what he looked like?" Bella asked, hoping that he was young and handsome and not an old smelly Vampire. She was slightly drunk and was giggling at the thought.

"Yes, I can remember. He was quite young looking and he was very handsome. He broke into my ward and found me tied down to my bed with leather straps, which was how I had to sleep every night. He tore through the straps in seconds then picked me up and escaped with me through a window after he wrenched the metal bars away. The nurse on duty raised the alarm and fairly quickly the grounds of the hospital was swarming with staff looking for me. He bit me and drunk from me and I don't remember any more after that, then he left me on my own while he made his escape. I guess he thought I was dead."

"What happened next?" Bella asked now feeling quite embarrassed that she thought the situation was funny.

"I woke up three days later apparently, tied to the bed again. I lay there with my eyes closed for a while listening to what was being said around me; the doctors thought I had rabies because I'd been foaming at the mouth when I was unconscious, but my father was convinced that the man who abducted me was the Devil because of his super-human powers. He thought my body had been taken over by evil forces again and he wanted to bring in some priests to Exorcise me and then for the doctors to kill me if I wasn't normal when I woke up."

Bella gasped at the horrific story Alice was telling her. She couldn't imagine her own father wanting her dead, however sick or disturbed she was.

"I pretended to be unconscious while they talked over my head, then after a while when I was left on my own I opened my eyes. All the other patients were either drugged or asleep and there was only one nurse sitting at a desk at the end of the ward. I moved my arm and the strap across my chest broke away without any effort on my part. I moved my leg and that strap came away as well and I knew then that my body had been changed and I was strong. I sat up on the bed and shook off all the other restraints then looked around to see how I was going to escape which was when the nurse noticed that I was free. She hit the alarm bell then ran towards my bed. I put my hand out to defend myself and struck her; the force propelled her to the end of the ward and she finished up smashed against the far wall about six feet in the air then she crashed down to the ground unconscious. I don't know to this day whether I killed her or not."

Bella was staring at Alice with wide eyes imagining the scene which was so far removed from anything that had happened in her life, even their experience with Aro a week ago. Alice continued.

"I knew then I had to get out, so I escaped from the ward the same way as the nomad did by ripping the bars away from a window and leaping out. I ran across the grounds and jumped over the perimeter wall then ran for hours during the night across open countryside until I found myself in dense woodland. I didn't know it but I was running North towards the border and I didn't stop until I was somewhere near Niagara, which was where I encountered humans for the first time. You have to remember Bella this was over a hundred years ago and New York state was very sparsely inhabited then with most of the population living in a couple of small towns and the city.

I was thirsty and instinctively I wanted to feed from a human but there was no-one around. Eventually after several hours of hunting through the forest I picked up the scent of a family who were having a picnic by a river. There was a mother and father sitting on the ground on a blanket watching their three small children running around them playing with a ball. I hid in a tree plotting who I would attack first but then I realised I couldn't bring myself to do it. Even though I was thirsty I couldn't deprive the family of a father, or the children of a mother, or parents of a child so I turned back into the woodland and ran away to find someone else to feed from.

I kept running until I crossed paths with a herd of large deer and I attacked one out of desperation. I drained it dry then carried on running through Canada, living off the wildlife. I stayed there for months in the cold North, too frightened to venture into a city and eventually I made it all the way to Alaska. The Denali family of Vampires who lived there picked up my scent one day and found me by a lake near their home. I was filthy and feral but they took me in and cared for me while I learned how to live as a Vampire and blend in with the human population.

"What sort of Vampires were they?" Bella asked.

"They were and still are like Jasper and me - they feed off animals mainly. Occasionally they slip up, but it is more difficult for them to resist the lure of a human as all of them have been true Vampires in the past. I've never tasted human blood so I don't know what I'm missing which makes it easier. Jasper was a true Vampire for nearly two hundred years and he still finds it difficult to control himself in certain circumstances, but I will let him tell you his story one day. I don't know everything about his past, but I guess parts of it were quite horrific."

"Do you know what happened to the nomad Vampire?"

Alice went very quiet and stared into space for a few moments. "Bella, I have never told a soul this, even Jasper, so you must promise not to say anything to him."

Bella nodded her head and said "I promise."

"Some years ago Jasper and I travelled to Alaska to visit the Denali's who are our dearest friends and now I suppose our only friends now that Peter and Charlotte have gone. When we got there they had visitors staying with them and I recognised one of the males instantly as the one who changed me all those years ago. I could tell he recognised me too but he didn't say anything to me in front of Jasper. I wanted to leave immediately but Jasper wanted to stay so I kept quiet and tried to stay close to Jasper at all times. We had been there a couple of days when the nomad caught me on my own and propositioned me. He wanted me to leave Jasper and travel with him, but I told him to get lost. Jasper walked in when he had his hand on my arm and they argued, so we left that day and we haven't been back since."

"So you've never told Jasper it was him. Why not?"

"Because after he bit me he raped me Bella, and Jasper knows this because I wasn't a virgin when we met."

Bella's hand shot to her mouth, then she threw her arms around Alice and held her.

"Oh Alice, I'm so sorry. I don't know what to say."

"Don't worry Bella, I didn't realise I wasn't a virgin until I met Jasper. The nomad raped me when I was unconscious from the blood loss, so Jasper was my 'first' in all other ways."

Bella smiled and was slightly reassured that Alice had come to terms with this horrific experience, but still felt very concerned that this nomad was still roaming unchallenged. However now seemed the opportune time to ask Alice a question that had been bothering her for a while and she had been waiting to speak to her when they had some girl-time.

"Umm, I've been meaning to ask you Alice but when I touch you your arms and body feel hard. Are all parts of your body hard, I mean ...err ... you know, down there?"

Alice laughed out loud, breaking the somber mood. "You mean how did Jasper know I wasn't a virgin if our bodies are made of stone?"

"Well yes, I mean you've said the sex is great so I don't know how you can feel anything if you're made of stone?"

When Alice stopped laughing she got hold of Bella's hand and drew it up to her mouth. "Feel my lips Bella, and inside my mouth. We're not hard everywhere thank God. If every part of our body was made of stone all the male Vampires would have a permanent erection and that would make them very easy to spot; you wouldn't need a sunbeam to know you were in the presence of a Vampire!"

Bella's eyes opened wide when she said that, then they both fell about laughing until Bella was holding her sides to prevent them from splitting, imagining Edward with a permanent hard-on. After they calmed down they talked long into the night about the advantages and disadvantages of being a Vampire and Bella went to bed a lot happier, leaving Alice to carry on packing all of Bella's possessions into boxes.

* * *

Before she left for Forks for her transformation, Bella finally took all of Jacob's belongings round to Billy's house. He was pleased to see her and thanked her again for making Jacob so happy. She felt like beating herself with chains when she left him.

When Edward returned after Anthony's funeral, they visited Charlie and Sue and spent a few days at their house. Charlie was delighted that Edward and Bella were a couple, even though it was only five weeks or so since Jacob died.

The story that Bella had invented to explain her forthcomingabsence was that she was going to move to Connecticut to support Edward and to be with Carlisle during his last months of life, then she would help Edward take over the running of the laboratory now that Anthony had passed the responsibility to him. They warned Charlie that they probably wouldn't see him again until Thanksgiving or Christmas possibly, but they would stay in touch regularly either by phone or Skype. They enjoyed their time there and Charlie even got Edward to go fishing with him, but they both pretended not to notice that Charlie seemed to have trouble whistling anything other than 'Here Comes The Bride' whenever they were in earshot.

* * *

Twenty days after their meeting with Aro, Edward and Bella arrived at Cullen House ready for their transformation. They had finished packing up Bella's apartment and had put the majority of her belongings in storage for the time being, so Edward's car was filled just with the essentials plus the most essential thing of all, Molly, who had complained bitterly throughout the whole journey from Seattle to Forks. When they got to the house in the woods Bella lifted her out of her carry case and held her tightly as she carried her around her new garden. Where Bella lived in Seattle there were very few trees in her neighbourhood so Molly was a bit freaked out at the sight of the huge pines that surrounded the property.

So just short of three weeks after meeting Aro, Edward and Bella were ready to be transformed and Alice showed them the room that she had been preparing for their procedures. Through his contacts Edward had got hold of a strong anaesthetic to help them through the beginning of the process and he would anaesthetise Bella first before administering the drug to himself. Alice had warned them that the process was painful and it could take anything from two to four days, depending on the 'patient'.

Alice would inject her venom into Bella's bloodstream first and then Edward's. Neither of them knew that as soon as they were both out cold with the anaesthetic, Alice would be securing them to their beds with metal chains as things could get a bit violent about twelve hours into the process.

Alice left them alone together so that they could say what they wanted to say in private. It was an emotional time for them as they were stepping into the unknown, almost a leap of faith, but unlike Saint Peter they had no choice in the matter.

Edward held Bella tightly in his arms and his memory went back to the first time he had held her like this just over ten years ago. That night he had felt and acted like a man for the first time and now, ten years later, they were making a commitment that would lock them together for eternity and he never felt so sure about anything in his life. His father had told him to put love before everything else and that was what he was going to do.

"Are you ready?" he said, and kissed her tenderly on her lips.

"Yes, she whispered. I'll see you on the other side. I love you Edward."

She lay down on the bed and Edward administered the anaesthetic. As she drifted into oblivion he told her he loved her, then her eyes closed and she saw no more.


	29. CSI Seattle 29

**From last week ...**

Edward held Bella tightly in his arms and his memory went back to the first time he had held her like this just over ten years ago. That night he had felt and acted like a man for the first time and now, ten years later, they were making a commitment that would lock them together for eternity and he never felt so sure about anything in his life. His father had told him to put love before everything else and that was what he was going to do.

"Are you ready?" he said, and kissed her tenderly on her lips.

"Yes, she whispered. I'll see you on the other side. I love you Edward."

She lay down on the bed and Edward administered the anaesthetic. As she drifted into oblivion he told her he loved her, then her eyes closed and she saw no more.

* * *

**CHAPTER TWENTY NINE**

"Why isn't he awake yet?"

Bella had been sitting by or lying on Edward's bed for nearly twenty four hours, but he was still completely under. She had come round yesterday afternoon and the first sight that greeted her was Molly curled up next to her on the pillow. She leant over to stroke her fur and as she put her hand on her head she noticed a flea next to her skin. "Urgh" she cried and pulled her hand back, only to hear Alice laughing at the end of the bed.

"You'll get used to it," she said.

"Used to what?"

"HD eyesight, you can see absolutely everything."

"Oh great" she said. "Where's Edward? I may have HD eyesight but I can't see him, is he awake?"

"No, he's still out for the count over there." Alice pointed to a bed by the window where Edward was lying flat and absolutely still. "He's a couple of hours behind you Bella. He insisted on watching me administer the venom to you then he monitored your heart rate and breathing for a while before he let me touch him."

Bella was still lying flat on her back as she felt slightly detached from reality as she looked around at her surroundings. The light was more intense than before, edges seemed sharper and colours brighter. She tried to sit up but felt disorientated as though the bed was moving below her.

"I'll help you" Alice said, and pulled her up into a sitting position then made her wait while she got her a drink.

"What's this?" Bella asked when Alice returned with what looked like a child's beaker.

"Blood, just take small sips to start with."

Bella instinctively turned her nose up, then smelt it then sipped a small amount. It tasted okay so she drank about half the cup very slowly. After a few more minutes she felt less dizzy so she got up and moved around for a while regaining her balance.

She carefully made her way over to Edward's bed and bent over him to brush his hair away from his forehead, then she watched in wonder at the tiny movements on his face that would have been invisible to her before. Now she could clearly see his eyeballs moving rapidly under his eyelids and the minute twitches of his lips that made him look as though he was talking in his sleep. She could hear his lungs expanding and contracting in his chest and the slow but steady beat of his heart, but above all she couldn't take her eyes off the beauty of his face, now clear of the blemishes that had permanently marked his skin from when he was a teenager. Lying on the bed like this looking totally serene and in the deepest of sleeps, Edward looked like a fairy-tale prince waiting for a princess to wake him up with a kiss.

As she watched him breathing his last compulsory breaths, she realised with sadness that this was probably the last sleep he would ever have, but she couldn't wait for him to wake up. She kissed him gently on the mouth but unlike Sleeping Beauty there was no reaction, so she climbed onto the bed and lay beside him holding his hand.

Twenty four hours later she was still there. Alice had called Jasper in New York for advice and he told them not to worry. "Edward probably put up a stronger fight against the process than Bella so his transformation was taking longer; he would be awake soon" he assured them both.

Bella could tell that Edward's heartbeat was gradually slowing and she laid her head on his chest to listen to the sound but also she relished feeling the last remnants of human warmth that still radiated from his body. After about another half an hour his heart was only beating about once per minute and then after a final burst of activity it stopped completely. As she waited for him to wake she ran her fingers through his hair and massaged his scalp which she knew he adored and whispered words of love into his ear. After a few more minutes he slowly opened his eyes and saw her sitting beside him on the bed.

"Hello handsome" she said and kissed him on the lips.

"Hello, even more beautiful" he replied and laughed. He held out his hands and she placed hers in them, then he drew them up to his mouth and kissed them.

"Are you alright?" he asked as he stared in wonder at the subtle changes in Bella's face.

"Now that you're back with me, yes. I was starting to worry but Jasper said not to. Some people take longer to change and you took over three days."

"Where is Jasper, is he back yet?"

"He's still in New York, Alice said he should be back soon."

Bella helped him sit up and within a few minutes he was on his feet walking around the room getting used to his new body and his enhanced senses. Alice had left them on their own as she didn't want to intrude on this special time together, but she was not far away just in case they needed help.

Bella put her arms around his waist and laid her head on his now silent chest. "How was it for you?" she asked, referring to his transformation.

"Long and painful, how about yours."

"Same, I thought I was dying, in fact I wanted to die several times but then it was just like a weird dream, like an out-of-body experience."

"I know what you're saying, like a bad drug trip I imagine."

Bella turned her face up towards his and they kissed, gently at first, testing each other's reactions, then the kiss became more passionate as the feeling of relief that they had come through their transformations without harm sunk in and that this was the start of their new life together.

They eventually left the room and made their way carefully down the stairs to where Alice was waiting for them. Molly had made herself at home and was now stretched out on the sofa with her feet in the air and didn't bother getting up to greet them, but Alice was hopping around in delight as she had foreseen that the four of them were going to be the greatest of friends in the long future that was stretching ahead of them. Even though Bella had informed her that she absolutely hated shopping, Alice thought she had plenty of time to work on that and other things lacking in Bella's make up and eventually she would bring her round to her way of thinking!

Edward and Bella headed straight for the open glass doors as the sun was shining and they wanted to feel warmth on their skin after being indoors for days. They stepped out onto the balcony overlooking the river straight into a beam of sunlight that lit up their skin like a million diamonds.

"Wow" they both said together and laughed.

They had made it through the transformation and life from now on was going to be good, really really good.

* * *

Alice had stocked up on supplies of animal blood to keep them sustained until they felt ready to go out into the forest, so it was four days before they felt ready to go on their first hunt. Alice had given them lots of advice beforehand about where to bite an animal to cause it the least amount of suffering but she assured Bella it would feel natural once she got out there. Bella was still a bit squeamish but Edward was raring to go; the normally dormant cave-man instinct had suddenly reared its head as the idea of hunting for food appealed to him greatly and he was looking forward to Jasper returning home so they could have a boys-night-out in the forest!

They went out to hunt when it was twilight and the canopy was full of the noise of birds roosting for the night and the forest floor was alive with insects and rodents who dived for cover when they felt the approach of the three vampires. Alice was concentrating intently for the unmistakable sounds and smells a herd of deer would generate and after about fifteen minutes of stalking she could sense what she was seeking. They silently approached the deer when they were drinking at a stream and in a flash all three vampires had each captured a deer of varying sizes, Amazingly, Bella caught the biggest one which she was exceedingly smug about.

After feeding they went for a run in the forest and found themselves in the same clearing where the arm was found less than two months ago. By this time it was pitch dark which wasn't a problem for them as their night-vision was better than anything the military had invented yet. The three of them lay down on the ground and stared up at the millions of stars in the sky; the air was crystal clear as it had rained earlier in the day but there wasn't a cloud in the sky to mar the view of the cosmos glittering above.

Edward was holding Bella's hand and he pulled it up to his mouth and kissed it. "Are you happy" he asked. Bella shuffled closer to him and laid her head on his chest. "Blissfully" she replied. "I've got you forever and ever, why shouldn't I be happy?"

Edward stroked her hair as they lay there. Much as he was enjoying their first few days of being vampires, his father's illness was in the back of his mind all the time. Even though he had spoken to him on the phone today and his father had assured him that his pain was under control, he knew that time was running out for him and the end was approaching as fast as an express train. Also he needed to get back to the lab and start setting up a management group so that he could run the business from Seattle. It was just over four weeks since Anthony's death and the lab wouldn't run itself, so he had to work out how he was going to manage to do this without raising suspicions about his change of species!

The other thing that had been preying on his mind was that there was someone in his IT department willing to sell their discoveries to the highest bidder. Even though the crime of selling his uncle's research on Peter's arm hadn't been committed, Alice's vision had alerted him to the fact that there was a spy in the camp and he would have to find out who this person was immediately and whether they had sold information in the past. He knew most of the IT staff well, but where there was money involved he didn't trust anybody. If it came to it he may have to terminate the contracts of the whole department just to get rid of the mole, but he sincerely hoped that wouldn't be the case.

Bella looked up at him and saw the frown on his forehead. "Penny for your thoughts" she said and smiled.

"I'm just thinking about the lab and what to do about it Bella."

"I was thinking about it as well earlier in the day. Would you like me to leave Seattle and CSI and work at the lab with you?"

"Would you do that?"

"Why not, one of us will have to move from one coast to another, so why shouldn't it be me. If you gave me my own lab or we worked together, there would be less chance of our 'differences' being noticed."

"Do you want to work?"

"Of course I do Edward. I'm not going to be a mom, so I'll have to find something to do for the next thousand years!"

Edward laughed at that and hugged her.

"Won't you get bored Bella, just working in a medical science lab?"

"Possibly as it's not really my field. Maybe I could have a sideline and be an independent forensic scientist."

"And I could be a private detective!" Alice piped up. "I've always wanted to do something like that but Jasper thought it was a silly idea." She had been listening to their conversation but had foreseen Bella moving to the other side of the country so wasn't surprised when Bella suggested it.

She had already discussed with Jasper the possibility of moth-balling Cullen house and following Edward and Bella to the East Coast. They had been in Seattle for over ten years now so it was getting near to the time when they would have to move before people started to get suspicious about their appearance, so a change of location and identity was going to have to be arranged again in the very near future anyway.

Jasper liked the name of their house and they had already decided to adopt it for themselves when they relocated. Their business was already called Cullen Finance Consultancy so they would become Mr. and Mrs. Cullen for their next makeover and Jasper and Alice Whitlock would disappear without a trace, again.

Bella was mulling over the idea of Alice being a private investigator and she broke out into a huge grin. "But that wouldn't be fair on the criminals Alice, you would be solving the crimes before they were committed" she said, then they burst out laughing at the thought of apprehending would-be criminals and frightening the living daylights out of them before they robbed a bank, or mugged an old lady.

Edward sat up pulling Bella upright.

"That's not a bad idea" he said.

"Are you serious?" Alice responded after she stopped chuckling.

"Well it would give you two something to do. Jasper could transfer your financial office out East without any bother and could carry on running that, I could run the lab and you girls could run a detective agency."

"What could we call ourselves" Bella said grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"How about Cullen Special Investigations" Alice suggested.

"That spells C.S.I."

"I know - original isn't it!"

* * *

Edward and Bella had been practising walking and acting like humans so they could go out where the general public congregated. After ten days as vampires they ventured out on a dull day wearing long sleeved clothing and dark glasses and tested their restraint when they walked hand in hand through a picnic spot in the national park. Thankfully neither of them was tempted to attack a human even though they experienced the burn in the back of their throats and the venom pooling in their mouths. It was more difficult to resist the smell of some of the humans they encountered than others, but they were not affected to such an extent that they felt as though they had to leave the area before an accident happened.

Alice was amazed at their self-control but put it down to the fact that they were supporting one another, also they had never tasted human blood so didn't know what they were missing, which was why she found humans easy to resist. Edward and Bella were now hunting without supervision so for all intents and purposes they were completely self-sufficient as vampires, which was astonishing progress after less than two weeks.

They had made love many times since their awakening and the only difference from before was they didn't get tired but could just keep on going, if they wanted to! They had tried to restrict their activities to when Alice was out of the house as sometimes things got a little out of hand, but they couldn't resist each other as their physical relationship was still relatively new and their libido was off the scale.

After their second hunt without Alice, they broke a few trees in the forest having some outdoor fun and came back to the house with ripped clothes and twigs and leaves in their hair. This had made Alice chuckle as it brought back a memories of when she first encountered Jasper and they had been physically inseparable for months. She was missing Jasper as he had still not returned from the East coast and they had now been apart for over five weeks, but Alice had been keeping him informed of their progress and he was also amazed to hear how Bella and Edward had adjusted to being vampires so quickly.

* * *

A few days later and just over two weeks after their transformation, Edward got a call from his father to say he wanted to see him urgently but he wouldn't discuss over the phone why. Edward had promised they would go and see him as soon as their transformation was complete and even though he still considered they were on a steep learning curve, he felt they were able to make the journey.

Edward presumed that he had been called as his father was going to say his final goodbye. He had told Edward how he planned to end his life and that he wanted to be on his own when he did it and Edward agreed to respect his wishes. The last two weeks had been the happiest of his life so far but all the time the fact that his father was dying had hung over his head like a cloud.

They flew to Connecticut the next day even though Alice wanted to run, but Edward was insistent that he wanted to act 'human' whenever possible and so they caught the early morning flight. Carlisle had chosen to spend his last weeks at the isolated beach house which was where he was born, rather than his impersonal apartment that he moved into ten years previously when Edward started at Yale, so Edward hired a car at the airport and they set off for the coast dreading what was waiting for them. Crying wasn't an option for Edward anymore but as he drove towards the sea his now redundant heart was breaking.

They saw the house ahead of them and Edward pulled up next to Carlisle's car which looked as though it hadn't driven for weeks as it was covered in sand. The wind was blowing across the dunes and sea birds were circling in the sky and the weather looked stormy, but the light on the sea and the sand was spectacular. Bella walked over to him and put her arms around his waist. "Are you ready?" she said and he nodded unable to speak.

They walked up the steps and he was just about to push open the door which he knew wouldn't be locked when Jasper appeared in front of him. "Hello" he said cheerily and beckoned them inside. Alice leapt into his arms and he spun her around several times, then planted a kiss on her lips and waggled his eyebrows suggestively. If the situation hadn't have been so somber, Edward and Bella would have laughed at their reunion.

"What are you doing here?" Edward asked when Jasper had prized himself apart from Alice. He was surprised and puzzled because Alice had said he was still in New York on business.

"I've been here for nearly five weeks Edward, looking after your father while you prepared for your transformation and recovered from it."

Edward was taken aback by Jasper's thoughtfulness but also wondered why he had kept this quiet. "Thank you Jasper, that was very kind of you, where is he?"

"He's through here" Jasper replied and ushered them through the house.

They walked into the main living room where Carlisle was sitting in an armchair by the fireplace. As they entered the room he stood up and walked over to Edward and hugged him. Then he bent down and kissed Bella and Alice on their cheeks.

"Hello everyone" he said brightly and gave them all a face-splitting grin. Edward was surprised to see his father standing and looking so well and he looked at his eyes closely for signs of excessive drug use, but instead of the sickly colour he was expecting to see, he instantly recognised with shock and sheer delight that the eyes staring back at him were not his father's bright blue eyes, they were the golden eyes of a Vampire.

"Dad!" Edward shouted and hugged him as tightly as he could. Bella felt Jasper and Alice's arms go around her shoulders as they stood and watched father and son delight in their reunion that was totally unexpected.

"Thank you" Bella said to Jasper and she squeezed his hand.

After the hugging and back slapping and pure joy had abated, Carlisle looked at Edward earnestly and placed his hands on either side of his face. "Son, you had a tough childhood and for that I am so sorry, but I'm going to make it up to you now."

"Dad you don't need to do that. I've got you back and I've got you forever, that's the most important thing."

Carlisle chose not to respond to that but said "Come with me Edward, there's someone I want you to meet."

Carlisle took Edward's hand, almost like he was a child again, and they walked through the house to where there was a glass conservatory that overlooked the sea. Jasper, Alice and Bella followed just a little way behind.

Sitting in a brightly covered armchair was a woman reading a book but Edward could only see the back of her head. She had shoulder length auburn hair, slightly lighter than his, and Edward felt a thrill shoot through his body and a shiver slide down his back.

Carlisle let go of his hand and walked around to where the woman was sitting and whispered "Esme darling, he's here." The woman slowly stood up and turned around to look at the young man who was standing in front of her. Her mouth broke into a radiant smile and she opened her arms to greet him.

"Edward" she whispered, but her Vampire eyes blazed when she recognised her son for the first time in nearly twenty years.

"Mom?" he cried, and flew into her waiting arms and as he laid his head on her shoulder her hand instinctively moved into his hair and her delicate fingers massaged his head to comfort him for the first time since he was a little boy.

* * *

**Sorry (reaching for the tissues). I hope that wasn't too corny. Before you review this chapter, please read the last chapter, then if you still think it's too corny, you can hurl abuse at me through your reviews after that.**


	30. CSI Seattle 30

**CHAPTER THIRTY**

After the greeting from his mother that Edward thought he would never experience again, he helped her back to her chair and noticed that she was staring at the girl who had accompanied him into the conservatory. Esme gave her son a searching look and he could tell that she wanted an explanation.

Edward introduced Bella to his mother as his fiance and after they had hugged and kissed, they sat for a while talking and holding hands. Edward told her how they had met, how much they loved each other and that they were planning to get married very soon. He also introduced Alice who said hello briefly but then disappeared with Jasper, eager to make up for lost time. They were out of the door before Edward had the chance to thank Jasper for what he had done for him and they weren't returning to the beach house as they were heading straight back to Seattle to look after Molly and to have some time to themselves!

Edward could tell that his mother was finding it difficult to take in all the new information at once which concerned him and after a while he left them on their own when Bella was telling her about her parents.

Edward wanted to speak to his father on his own and found him in Anthony's study going through paperwork, so he tapped on the open door and went in.

"Hello Edward, come in" he said. "I'm just going through Anthony's desk to make sure all the legal stuff has been dealt with."

"Can we talk Dad" Edward said and walked towards the glass doors that led onto the deck that surrounded the house. It was late evening by now and the autumn light was fading quickly and even though the temperature had dropped considerably he didn't feel the cold any more. Carlisle followed him outside and they sat on canvas chairs for a moment in silence and watched the sea change colour as the sun disappeared below the horizon behind them.

"Tell me what happened and why you changed your mind" Edward asked. He carried on staring ahead as he couldn't look his father in the eye.

Even though Edward was ecstatically happy that his parents had become vampires, he was upset that he had been kept in the dark about their transformations and he wanted to know the sequence of events after Anthony's funeral which was when he last saw his father. Carlisle had been in excruciating pain during the ceremony because he had purposely not taken his recommended dose of palliative drugs because they made him sleepy and he was determined to take a full part in the celebration of his brother's life and to see him off on his final journey. Even though he was in pain he was mentally alert that day and was able to meet and greet all Anthony's friends and colleagues who attended the funeral.

Carlisle could tell that his son was disgruntled but he had no need to be. He had his reasons for not telling him of his intentions so launched into his story without an apology.

"Just before Jasper left for New York he told me that Alice was a patient in a mental hospital when she was changed by a nomad vampire, but that's as much as he knows. Alice has never spoken much to him much about her life as a human and her transformation, did you know that Edward?"

Edward shook his head. Neither Alice nor Jasper had told them how they had been changed, so this was news to him.

"Jasper asked me to consider a proposition while he was in New York. He offered to change your mother and if it was successful, that is if she recovered enough to live a meaningful and comfortable life, then he would change me as well. If she remained in a vegetative state then he would kill your mother as quickly and humanely as possible or I would end your mother's life if she hadn't turned into a vampire and then commit suicide as I had originally planned. I had about a week to make up my mind while he was away."

"So mom was changed first?" Edward said incredulously.

"Yes, when Jasper got back from New York I had already arranged for her to be brought to the house from the nursing home. I told them I wanted her here and that I would arrange private nurses to be with her until she passed away. An ambulance collected her the day after Anthony's funeral and she arrived home not long after you left for the airport."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Edward was crushed that his father hadn't told him of his plan.

"I didn't want you to get your hopes up Edward. Jasper didn't know whether it would work or not so we agreed to keep what we planned to ourselves. Alice was only mentally ill; she had not been suffering from a degenerative brain disease like your mother and Jasper couldn't guarantee the outcome."

Edward shook his head, but was starting to see the logic behind his father's decision.

"Jasper injected your mother with his venom that evening and I sat with her and watched her body writhe in pain. It was probably the worst day of my life and I begged Jasper to end her suffering there and then but he said that she would come through it soon and to hang on. She woke less than thirty-six hours after she received the venom and recognised me straight away. She also asked for you Edward, so I knew her brain had been repaired somewhat."

"What happened then?" Edward asked, astounded that this was all going on behind his back. He suspected that Alice was probably aware of Jasper's plan which was why she wasn't complaining that he was away for such a long time. He realised then that all the signs were there for him to see and he should have guessed this was happening.

"Jasper looked after your mother while I underwent the transformation. Mine took a little longer, slightly more than forty-eight hours."

Edward reflected on what his father had told him and reluctantly accepted that he was right to keep this from him. When all this was happening he was preparing for his own transformation and also supporting Bella as she temporarily cut her ties with work, family and friends. If he'd have known there was a possibility he would never see his parents again when he flew back after the funeral, he would have found it very difficult to leave. How his father managed to wave him off that morning without giving the game away he couldn't comprehend.

Edward asked another question that needed a frank response from his father.

"Is Mom okay, I mean does she realise what she is?"

"No, she hasn't got a clue. We've told her that she's not allowed to eat food anymore and as she was catheterised for years she's forgotten about normal bodily functions. She knows she can only have the red drink which she thinks is what has made her better; she doesn't know that it's animal blood. She accepts everything I tell her without question."

Carlisle turned towards Edward and took hold of Edward's hands gripping them tightly and his voice wavered slightly as he spoke.

"Edward, she is not like you and me; even vampire venom cannot cure all ills. She knows who we are, she can read a book and hold a conversation, but she will never be able to hunt or use all her special abilities discreetly. It's only in the last few days she has started to converse with me and not just answer questions with a yes or no. Her recovery is going to be slow and I cannot predict at this moment how well she is going to be when she reaches her limit. I could never allow her to go out on her own or even take her to the store or the theatre as her actions are so unpredictable. In some respects she's like a child, but with some of the strengths and power of a vampire."

Edward had already guessed this as he could see that his mother was still fragile and had a degree of short term memory loss as she had asked Bella to repeat things she had just heard. Her future care would have to be planned carefully and he was relieved Bella had volunteered to move to Connecticut so they could be close by.

"So what are your plans Dad, are you going to stay here?"

"For the moment yes we are; this house is isolated so is ideal. Jasper has arranged for the New York coven to supply us with animal blood so we don't have to hunt and they've also agreed to supply us with everything else we need to live here on our own."

Edward realised he owed Jasper a huge debt of thanks for arranging this, but Jasper had been unaware of their plans to settle here and that Alice was preparing to follow them sooner rather than later.

Carlisle continued. "I want some more years with your mother Edward, I want to tell her about you and everything that has happened over the last twenty years. I would like to get the boat out and take up sailing again and depending on how she progresses we could travel the world together and do all the things normal retired people do." He laughed when the thought came to him that he could probably win the Americas Cup single-handed, now that he was 'super-human.'

"That sounds great Dad, maybe Bella and I could come sailing with you one day."

Carlisle held out his hand again and Edward placed his hand in his and their fingers closed around each other's tightly.

"That would be good son, really good" Carlisle replied.

Edward eventually got up and went back in the house leaving Carlisle on the deck and found Bella still talking to his mother. Bella was relating anecdotes about their time at school together and how she had asked him to be her date for the Senior Prom and what a disaster that had been. Esme laughed when Bella told her that Charlie had guessed that they were having a kiss and a cuddle on the sofa, but didn't admit to it until years later.

Edward watched Bella chatting away to his mom and reflected on the importance of that night in 2003. That date had influenced their whole lives; if Bella hadn't have plucked up the courage in the science lab to ask him to take her to the Prom all those years ago they would never kissed, they would never have connected in the way that they did, they wouldn't have fallen in love and they wouldn't have become vampires. Now, on top of all that, he had his parents back when he thought he was going to lose them both. His crying days were over but he could still sense a wave of emotion wash over him as he contemplated how lucky he'd been and how much he had to look forward to.

Life was going to be good, different and strange, but good.

* * *

After Edward had gone indoors, Carlisle looked out to sea and watched the night swallow the last remnants of light from the surface of the water. The first stars were appearing overhead and thin silver clouds were moving quickly across the sky from right to left, pushed along by the wind which was picking up strength and whipping the long grasses that bordered the edge of the beach. Looking at the view before him, he was strangely grateful for those few weeks he had spent living with the knowledge that he was terminally ill as it had made him notice and appreciate the beauty of the Earth more. Now with his enhanced senses he was seeing the magnificence of the world around him through an even sharper lens and it was astounding.

He recalled telling Edward that all he wished for was one more day with his mother as she was before she became ill in exchange for the rest of his own days, and even though Esme was not fully cured he had been granted that wish and more. Now if he wanted to he could extend that gift for as long as he desired. His son had also found happiness with Bella and he was content in the knowledge that they would have many centuries of love and happiness together.

His only regret was that Esme had not been able to watch her son grow into the man he had become as he was immensely proud of Edward's achievements, his attitude to life and his honesty that shined through in his work and his personal life. He was confident that Edward would in time discover a treatment for dementia now that he had the prospect of many decades or even centuries of research ahead of him.

He knew how lucky he was to get a reprieve from his death sentence, but he had already decided that vampire longevity wasn't for him and he would not return home when he took the decision to sail away with Esme. He had told his brother that eternal life was wrong and he would stand by that statement. He would see the wonders of the world with Esme from their boat, then they would leave it after a natural lifespan and they would leave it together.

He recalled Aro's words as he left the house on the night they all thought they were going to die,

_"Good fortune on your journey Carlisle, you have raised an outstanding son."_

Three score years and ten were enough for any man, well maybe four score years and ten, but anyway the journey Aro was alluding to was still many years away and he would make the most of the time left to him.

He got up from the chair and took a last look at the sea for the night and went indoors, then into the room where Edward was sitting with Bella and Esme.

"Outstanding son" he said to Edward. "Do you fancy going sailing tomorrow?"

* * *

**The End**

* * *

The following may sound like someone accepting an Oscar, it's not meant to be but I just have to say ...

**Thank you** for staying with me to the end of this journey. I've fallen in love with these characters and I'm hoping that inspiration will smack me on the back of my head and allow me to write a sequel. I'm really sad that it's ended.

**Thank you** to everyone who has recommended this story on Robsessed and Fiction Sites like Rob Attack, A Different Forest and The Lemonade Stand and numerous Facebook pages; you know who you are and you've helped spread the word about this crazy story - mwah mwah.

**Thank you** to everyone who has reviewed, favourite'd and followed (and corrected my errors), plus everyone who has guessed how the story would end - guess what, you were all correct! (Well most of you)! For a new writer it has given me such a buzz to get your responses and at my age a 'lady' needs as many buzzes as possible!

**Thanks **to everyone involved in Twilight, especially RP, I wouldn't have started writing without their inspiration. So until the next time, which hopefully will be sooner rather than later, goodbye.

**Michaelmas54 xxx (**aka Joan**)**

I'll shut up now and get on with the housework xx


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